Demographics

To view details about demographics in the Elgin, Illinois area, please select one of the links below:

General Information

Why Elgin, Illinois?
	Although housing construction has tappered off in recent years, Elgin led all manicipalities in the Chicago land market with 169 actual housing starts, according to Metrostudy.
	The New $20 million Elgin Siemens/Winergy Drive System facility was one of six state-wide projects to receive the coveted 2010 EDIE (Economic Development in Illinois) Award. The Illinois Chamber of Commerce bestows "EDIES" to honor those companies who imagine, design, invest, build and bring jobs, growth and prosperity to Illinois communities.
	000	Learn More About Siemens/Winergy Drive System facility The new plant, located at 1450 Madeline Lane is currently 170,000sf and is expandable up to 330,000sf. The plant, one of the first in Illinois to receive environmental LEED certification, was built using recycled steel and designed with Siemens energy efficient lighting and heating and cooling systems. Pancor Construction and Development, headquartered in Elgin, developed the project on behalf of Siemens.
	The Gail Borden Library in Elgin was selected as one of five libraries in the U.S. for the 2009 National Medial for Museum and Library Service. The Institute of Mueseum and Library Service's medal is this nation's highest honor for libraries that make extraordiny civic, educational, economic, environmental and social contributions.
	The Elgin Chamber is spearheading the use of the National Career Readiness Certificate for high school students and the incrumbent workforce.
	Headline News...
	NCRC Recipients Honored Over 600 high school students who have received a National Career Redienss Certificate (NCRC) were honored. 1,000 Workers Skills Initiative to be Launched With $10,000 in funding from the United Way of Elgin and $5,000 from Elgin Community College a new community effort began.

The Far West Area Plan

The Far West Area Plan represents a commitment by the City to quality land resource management for 11,000 acres on the community's western edge. The plan adopts growth management policies that direct a balance between the need to develop, the cost of development, and conservation of the natural environment.

Development within the planning area is expected to demonstrate the use of innovative architecture, site planning, and land design of such quality as to set a standard of excellence for subsequent development.

Download the City of Elgin's Far West Development Strategy

Elgin Riverfront

The Illinois Chapter of the American Planning Association 2001 awards program generated 23 award nominations and resulted in the recognition of seven planning project in four award categories. The City of Elgin Riverfront/Center City Master Plan received an award in the Plan Category recognizing the quality and ambitious recommendations and the manner in which it blends the traditional downtown with the riverfront.

Learn about the redevelopment of Elgin’s Center City area:

Download “Experience the Renaissance” Downtown Brochure (slow download)

Download “Investing in Downtown” presentation (slow download)

Education Facilities

K-12 public educational opportunities are provided by School District U-46, School District 301, and a very small portion by School District 300.

In addition to public schools, Elgin offers nearly 20 private and parochial schools. Visit our community links section to visit Elgin Area Chamber member schools on-line.

Elgin Academy is the oldest of the private secular institutions. Elgin Academy has been offering the highest quality academic experience since it was established in 1839.

Chicago Junior Schools (CJS), located on 120 acres in Elgin, was founded in 1913 as a boarding school. In the 1950's, Chicago Junior School became co-ed and began enrolling day students. Today, CJS has an enrollment of 268 students and only 19 boarding students.

Higher Education

Elgin Community College (ECC) District No. 509 provides continuing education, college transfer courses, and associates degrees to area residents. Enrollment at ECC is approximately 26,000 students. ECC partners with a number of colleges and universities to provide area residents with greater access to upper level undergraduate offerings. These colleges and universities include: Columbia College in Missouri, Roosevelt University in Schaumburg and Chicago, Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and Western Illinois University in Macomb.

Judson College, a four-year liberal arts college, was established in 1963 and is also located in Elgin. Enrollment at Judson is approximately 1,100 people. Judson is located on an 80 acre campus along the Fox River.

Visit our community links section to visit Elgin Area Chamber member schools on-line.

Employment

Elgin is the employment center for northern Kane County. The city has a highly diversified, well-balanced economy and is not dominated by any single commercial or industrial sector. Please vist The Courier News and/or the Daily Herald classifed sections for job opportunities in the Elgin area.

Download Employment Opportunties Map

Major City Employers (1)

Elgin residents also have substantial employment opportunities in surrounding communities, as well as throughout the Chicago Metropolitian area. The following list shows selected large private employers located in communities immediately surrounding Elgin.

Health Facilities

Elgin is home to some of the finest health care in the nation. Sherman Hospital and Provena St. Joseph Hospital anchor a variety of clinics, elder care and child care facilities.

Housing

From historic homes to newer subdivisions, Elgin’s housing stock is as diverse as the City itself. In one of Elgin’s four historic districts, design elements, like Gothic, Dutch, Victorian and Queen Anne help capture the imagination with ornate, spindled woodwork that created original, unique homes with solid craftsmanship. Modern luxury single family homes or townhomes are also available throughout the City with prices ranging from affordable to well over $1 million.

Elgin has a home to fit your lifestyle and budget. Click here for details.

Labor Force

The Elgin area labor force is the biggest draw for expanding employers. The workforce is a mirror image of the nation, with ample highly skilled labor in all categories. Below are the labor statistics provided by the Illinois Workforce Information Center. Union activity has been minimal over the past dozen or more years. Typical wage rates are provided in a section below. You will find a very strong work ethic in addition to a diverse workforce.

Tax Structure

Property tax rates per $100 assessed valuation. Valuation is 33.33% of real property except in Cook County where commercial property is assessed at 38%, and industrial property is assessed at 36%.

Property Tax Rates

Kane Sales Tax Rate: 7.75%
Cook County Sales Tax Rate: 9.75%

There is no utility tax on electricity, natural gas, telephone, and water in Kane Co., and residential property is 16%.

Download Tax Structure Details

Transportation

Elgin is the transportation hub of Northwest Suburban Chicago. It is served by I-90 and in easy travel time to I-88, the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway and I-290. Full interstate exchanges are at Routes 25, 31 and Randall Road. Other federal and state highways include U.S. 20, Rt. 25 and Rt. 31. O'Hare International Airport is just 25 miles and less than 30 minutes away. Corporate and other private aircraft use nearby DuPage County Airport. Elgin is a trucking hub, with several carriers serving the community. METRA Rail and PACE Bus provide daily service to Chicago (about one hour ride) and surrounding suburbs. Freight railroads serving Elgin are the Chicago Northwestern, Elgin Joliet Eastern and the Soo Line.

Download Average Travel Time to Work Map

Travel Time

Railroads

Utilities

Communication and Entertainment Services

The following companies provide various communication and entertainment services to the Elgin Community:

• SBC
• Comcast
• Wide Open West

Water

The City of Elgin supplies water from both wells and the Fox River to both its residents and surrounding communities. The Fox River Water Reclamation District provides waste treatment. In 1991, Elgin won the prestigious Innovative Problem Solving Award for its work with financing sanitary sewer collection systems capital improvements.

Waste Water Treatment

Natural Gas, Electricity

Wage Rates

Wage data for occupations is collected in the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program of the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). Information on entry level, median and experienced hourly (and annual) wages are available for Illinois, the Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSAs), and the Workforce Investment Areas (WIAs) in Illinois in both Excel and Adobe Acrobat formats. Visit the IDES/OES site.

For a complete and comprehensive wage, salary and benefit survey, Kane County Economic Development.

Demographic Downloads

Download demographic information in PDF format.

• Elgin, Illinois 2000 Census Report
• 2001 Emerging & Transitional Labor Force
• City of Elgin Demographic Trend Report
• Demographic Analysis for Route 31/Chicago Street Epicenter
• Elgin City Limits Retail Trade Analysis
• Elgin Randall Road/I-90 Demographic Report
• Employment by Industry
• Establishments & Employment by Industry – Kane County, Illinois
• Expenditure Analysis for Elgin
• Golf Courses
• Kane County and Selected Communities Demographic Trend Report
• Kane County Broadband Study (887K)
• Local Area Unemployment Statistics
• Monthly Residential “Turn-Over” Rates for Elgin
• Population 25+ by Education
• Retail Trade Analysis for Route 31/Chicago Street Epicenter
• Wage Rates

Economic Development Contact Info

Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce
31 South Grove Avenue
Elgin, IL 60120
phone: (847) 741-5660
fax: (847) 741-5677
e-mail: info@elginchamber.com

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Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce
31 South Grove Avenue • P.O. Box 648 • Elgin, Illinois 60120
Tel: (847) 741-5660 • Fax: (847) 741-5677

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