RANK #123 / 996 · POP 132,795 · IL
PROJECTED GROWTH: +2.6%
The Farnsworth House, a glass architectural landmark, stands as a distinctive feature along the Fox River in Kendall County. Located about 50 miles from downtown Chicago, Kendall County offers a suburban feel with access to natural scenery, including prairie grasslands, woodlands, and river trails. Oswego, the most populous municipality, and Yorkville, the county seat, are key towns within this growing area. Commuting to Chicago is part of life for many residents, with an average commute time of over 33 minutes. The county's forest preserves, like Hoover Forest Preserve, provide opportunities for hiking, fishing, and other outdoor activities.
Life in Kendall County often appeals to families, drawn by highly-rated public schools such as Oswego Goal, Lisbon Grade School, and Bristol Grade School. The economy is expanding, with recent developments including growth in non-residential construction. While traditionally agricultural, the county has seen significant suburban development. Major investments are occurring in sectors like data centers and energy, contributing to the evolving economic landscape. Kendall Area Transit provides public transportation options for residents, with priority given to seniors and individuals with disabilities.
Overvalued relative to economy
Well below national median
Below-average climate & terrain
Housing looks overvalued at 9.4x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Project Cardinal Data Center
Pioneer Development
|
$1,800M | Planned |
|
Project Steel Data Center Campus
Prologis, L.P., Yorkville Nexus V LLC, Green Door Capital
|
$900M | Planned |
|
CyrusOne Yorkville Campus Phase 1 & 2
CyrusOne
|
$850M | Planned |
|
Plano Skies Solar Project
Plano Skies Energy Center, LLC
|
$350M | Proposed |
|
Lasalle - Plano 345 kV Solar Project
Undisclosed
|
$280M | Planned |
|
Kendall County Broadband Network
Kendall County Government, Pivot Tech
|
$40M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.
Kendall County has a Boom Town Index score of 88/100, ranking #123 among 996 U.S. counties. With job growth at -0.1% and a median household income of $106,358, it's an above-average county on economic indicators.
The median home value in Kendall County is $288,100 with median rent at $1,695/month. The income-to-home-value ratio is 0.3692, which is more affordable than the national average.
Population growth: +1.6% year-over-year. Job growth: -0.1%. Home values changed +4.0% in the past 12 months.
Yes — 6.59% of Kendall County's population moved from another state, which is above the national average and indicates strong in-migration.