Braidwood, Illinois
City · Population 6,245 · #298 in Illinois
About Braidwood
Braidwood is a close-knit town in northeastern Illinois counting 6,245 people who proudly call it home.
Officially, Braidwood is an incorporated city with its own municipal government. The community covers 5.3 square miles, giving it a balanced suburban layout with room to breathe at roughly 1,178 residents per square mile.
📰 Braidwood News Today
- Donna Jean Calhoun Obituary (2026) - Braidwood, IL - Baskerville Funeral Home - Wilmington Legacy obituary · Aug 17
- Braidwood Air Quality Index (AQI) and USA Air Pollution IQAir · Jun 22
- Matthew S. Terry Sr. - View Obituary & Service Information R. W. Patterson Funeral Homes · Jan 7
- Jason M. Burger Obituary Feb 27, 2026 - Reeves - Baskerville reevesfuneralhomes.com · Mar 1
- Roy Willis Obituary Jun 1, 2026 Feuerborn Family Funeral Service · Jun 1
Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.
What Makes Braidwood Unique
- The only place in America named Braidwood — a truly one-of-a-kind name among 32,000+ US communities.
- Positioned in northeastern Illinois, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
- Part of the fabric of Illinois — one of 1,461 recognized communities statewide.
Why People Love It Here
- The sweet spot: real amenities without big-city congestion.
- Local businesses and schools anchored by a stable resident base of 6,245.
- Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 4 miles.
📍 Neighborhoods in Braidwood
📍 Shadow Lakes📍 Boardwalk Bay📍 Explorer Village📍 Fisherman's Village📍 Fossil Cove Village📍 Lighthouse Cove📍 Tully Monster Village
Click a neighborhood to see it on the map.
🍽️ Where to Eat in Braidwood
- Jones-Eez Bar-B-Que
- Main Street Pizzeria & Grille — pizza
- Polk-A-Dot Drive In
Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.
🎡 Fun Things to Do
- Braidwood Area Historical Society · Museum
- Braidwood Zoo Animal Sculptures · Attraction
- Elvis · Attraction
Attractions mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.
🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Braidwood
- Braidwood Dunes and Savanna Nature Reserve · Nature reserve reviews ★
- Braidwood City Park reviews ★
- Lions' Kiddie Park reviews ★
- Luke H. Goodrich Park reviews ★
- Old Smokey City Park reviews ★
Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.
🏫 Schools in Braidwood
- Reed-Custer Elementary School
- Reed-Custer High School
- Reed-Custer Middle School
- SOWIC-EC Reed Custer
- SOWIC-Educ & Life Skills-Reed Cus
Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.
⚡ Quick Facts
StateIllinois
TypeCity
Population (2024)6,245
Rank in state#298 of 1,294
Land area5.3 sq mi
Density1,178/sq mi
Coordinates41.2702, -88.2234