Rod Craig, Mayor of the Village of Hanover Park, has a message to convey: Hanover Park is transitioning from “a very quiet, humble community to one that’s dynamic. We’re on our toes, we’ve got wonderful staff, so away we go.”
Located northwest of Chicago, Illinois, the Village of Hanover Park has a population of 36,850 people. The community is part of a swath of land nicknamed “The Golden Corridor” thanks to the fast-paced growth happening within its borders. Since being profiled by Business in Focus in November 2016, Hanover Park has adopted a new tagline reflecting its widely diverse community. “America’s Global Village” remains as devoted as ever to mindful growth and meeting the needs of the community.
“Since 2016, we’ve not only continued with our business-friendly approach, but we’ve also opened our doors to development and businesses that are family-friendly and an asset to our community,” says Community and Economic Development Director Shubhra Govind.
Happy people, busy business
Just over six square miles in size, Hanover Park features seven school districts and four townships and is split between DuPage and Cook Counties. As befitting its new tagline, Village residents represent 80 nationalities who speak 30 different languages. To be as accommodating as possible, language translation services are available for residents and visitors who need to speak with Hanover Park officials.
On the economic front, the Village features three major business parks and three Tax Increment Finance (TIF) districts (in a TIF district, some property tax gets reinvested in the area). Altogether, Hanover Park features roughly five million square feet of Class A industrial space, and properties within TIF districts can apply for a Façade Improvement Grant that covers half the cost of spiffing up their exterior and property.
Hanover Park officials regularly touch base with business owners to get a sense of their plans and concerns, says Economic Development Coordinator Adela Boesel. “We meet them in their stores, we meet them in their restaurants, or we have a meeting in our office and ask, ‘What are the challenges that you’re dealing with? What is it you want to see in your business?’”
With such feedback in mind, recent economic development initiatives include a multi-million dollar streetscape improvement project, part of a broader effort to beautify a downtown space called the Village Center. The goal is to create a thriving center with high-density residential housing, a strong commercial presence, and a comprehensive transportation infrastructure. It helps that Village staff know how to be flexible, adjusting zoning when necessary to support economic and residential development and greater use of public transit.
All roads lead to a great labor pool
Asked why a business would want to set up in Hanover Park, Govind emphasizes, “location, location, location.”
Indeed, the Village is situated near several transportation hubs and routes. These include roadways such as Illinois Route 390 (previously the Elgin O’Hare Expressway), O’Hare International Airport, DuPage County Airport, Schaumburg Regional Airport, and two rail lines, the Chicago Central and Pacific Railroad and Soo Line Railroad. Hanover Park also maintains a busy commuter station for the Metra Milwaukee District/West Line passenger railway—an express train leaving this station can whisk people to downtown Chicago in 45 minutes.
“When it comes to a business making a decision to locate in Hanover Park, it’s not just about access to highways, roads, Metra, the bus, but also access to the great labor pool that we have here. When companies are looking to locate in Hanover Park, they know that they can hire locally,” adds Govind.
The area boasts a well-educated workforce, as nearly one quarter of Hanover Park residents hold a bachelor’s degree, while 10 percent have graduate degrees and 17 percent have some college education. As for the latter, the Village is home to three community colleges: College of DuPage, Harper Community College, and Elgin Community College. Unemployment is low at four percent, with manufacturing, health care/social assistance, and retail representing the three top occupation categories.
Leading employers in the Village include computer hardware firm Insight Enterprise Inc., with 285 employees, precision part manufacturer Camcraft, Inc., with 279 employees, and equipment firm Fisher Scientific, with 275 employees. The American branch of Japanese photo and image reproduction giant FUJIFILM maintains a regional headquarters in Hanover Park with 165 employees.
Mayor Craig points to Round Ground Metals (RGM) as a particularly noteworthy success story. Based in Hanover Park, this firm employs 140 people and specializes in the manufacture of precision steel rods used in oil wells and firearms, among other products. RGM “has grown from a small business to owning three major buildings in our industrial park,” says the Mayor.
Family-friendly
The question arises: job opportunities aside, why do individuals want to move to Hanover Park?
The Village is “a family-oriented community” that’s “blessed with excellent school districts,” says Mayor Craig, and it’s a safe place to raise kids. “People are happy with our low crime rate. I’ll challenge any other community to match our low crime rate.” He adds, “A quality police department helps.”
This isn’t just local boosterism either: Hanover Park earned a safety score of 98 out of 100 in a listing on Nextdoor.com. In 2022, the Village of Hanover Park had a violent crime rate of 0.35 offences per 1,000 residents and a property crime rate of 0.03 offences per 1,000 residents (compared with 18.56 per 1,000 residents and 18.23 per 1,000 residents, respectively, for the state of Illinois). The overall crime rate in Hanover Park in 2022 was 0.38 offences per 1,000 residents, drastically lower than the overall Illinois rate (36.79 per 1,000 residents) and national rate (33.37 per 1,000 residents).
The Village is not only safe but affordable, particularly when compared to the metropolis of Chicago. In 2023, the average median household income in Hanover Park was $92,263, the median property value was $260,900, and the average commuting time was just under half an hour.
As part of its family-friendly ethos, Hanover Park also offers ample recreational opportunities and community events. The Village counts nearly two dozen playgrounds and parks and boasts vast forest preserves, popular spots for hiking, picnicking, biking, horseback riding, boating, and bird watching. A sports complex hosts Little League games, and a plaza in the Village Center welcomes a variety of events. Residents enjoy Movies in the Park, Juneteenth celebrations, a Fire Department Open House, and a “Doggie Eggtravaganza (featuring a canine egg hunt with dog treats), and Boesel tells us that the Village partners with nonprofit groups, churches, and other organizations to ensure that most community events are either free or low-cost.
Keeping connected
Hanover Park is also a place where local government is transparent and accessible. Village officials make a point of being “very involved with our community. We want to understand what their needs are,” continues Boesel.
Mayor Craig is constantly about, meeting with legislators, administrators, businesspeople, members of the public, and schoolkids. Hanover Park staff also host community meetings with the public to discuss various issues. One such meeting was held in February of this year, while a second took place this May. “We want to know what you want to see in Hanover Park. We want the community to feel welcome,” says Boesel.
To keep the community informed and engaged, Hanover Park actively promotes its charms to prospective businesses and residents alike via social media, trade shows, and tourism events. The Village government issues regular press releases offering updates and information, and publishes a community magazine for residents. An economic development committee featuring representatives from local businesses and institutions brainstorms ideas to better the Village.
“As you can tell, we’re very proud of our community and the people that live in it,” says Boesel.
Mayor Craig agrees. “We have a great relationship with our neighboring communities. We support one another and work together. I really enjoy that collaborative component,” he says.
Looking ahead, the Mayor would like to see more “quality, transit-oriented development” in the Village.
While eager to enhance opportunities for businesses and residents alike, nobody wants the Village of Hanover Park to grow so large that it loses its essential character. “Our community definitely has heart,” Boesel says. “Anyone who comes to Hanover Park will see that right away. It’s a place where not only families but businesses feel welcome.”
