City of

St. Charles

Home to almost 33,000 residents with an annual income over $75,000, St. Charles, Illinois continues to be an ideal location for retail business. The “Pride of the Fox” has seen growth despite a down economy, and is positioning itself for a strong future, especially in retail. Within the city are three distinct shopping districts: Downtown, the East Gateway, and the West Gateway. With Randall Road and four state highways traversing the community (Routes 64, 38, 25, and 31), St. Charles is easily accessible from all suburban Chicagoland.

Downtown St. Charles is experiencing unprecedented growth. This is partly due to the mixed-use 1st Street Redevelopment TIF district that will, when completed, bring nearly 250,000 square feet of office and first-floor retail in addition to approximately 100 housing units. The charming allure of downtown, with its quaint feel but hip vitality, has attracted dozens of new restaurants and shops in the past few years. With the Fox River running through the heart of it, and historic buildings like the Hotel Baker and the art deco Municipal Center, downtown St. Charles is set to thrive both now and in the long-term.

The East Gateway remains a strong draw throughout the region with significant re-investment occurring now and being planned for the future. Charlestowne Mall is being reinvigorated by new ownership, with plans for a 16,000 square foot public ice skating rink, and three new leases signed in the past month. Other major shopping centers such as East Gate Commons, Foxfield Commons, and Main Street Commons are anchored by major tenants such as Target, Walmart, Office Depot, Stein Mart, and Sears Home Appliance Showroom. With Pheasant Run Resort and the DuPage Expo continuing to be major draws as well, and traffic counts of 45,000 vehicles per day along IL-64, the East Gateway is an ideal location for additional national and regional tenancies.

The West Gateway, centered at the intersection of Randall Road and IL-64, is a balance of established retail mixed with outstanding development opportunities. Both Meijer and Costco call the West Gateway home, as well as the new Mercedes-Benz of St. Charles and Fox River Harley-Davidson. Businesses looking to build and take advantage of the constantly growing Randall Road corridor have opportunities in St. Charles both north and south of IL-64.

Founded in 1834, St. Charles is the center of Kane County, 35 miles west of downtown Chicago and mid-way between Elgin to the north and Aurora to the south. State highways 25, 31, 38, and 64 cross through St. Charles, as do county thoroughfares Randall and Kirk Roads.

The City of St. Charles is committed to supporting its businesses. St. Charles boasts one of the state’s largest chambers of commerce, the Downtown Partnership Main Street organization, and a convention and visitors bureau serving a hospitality sector totaling 2,400 hotel rooms across the city. The Economic Development Department also works to bring quality businesses to the community and offers sales tax rebate incentives for qualified retailers looking to expand into St. Charles. We invite you to come and experience Family Circle magazine’s “#1 Town for Families” in the entire country for 2011, and see why your business can thrive in St. Charles.

economic overview
economic overview

FACTS & FIGURES


Population

32,750

68.6%

Labor Force Participation

25,877

Total Employment

 

DAYTIME POPULATION

43,197

94.6%

High School Graduation Rate

52.0%

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher

 

CITY OF ST. CHARLES
2 E. Main St.
St. Charles, Illinois 60174
Phone: (630) 443-4093
www.stcharlesil.gov

Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, JobsEQ, ESRI