Rural County Population Nearly Doubled in Less Than a Decade

"Kendall, one of the outlying counties that collars Chicago's five traditional collar counties, saw its population grow 77.5 percent, to 96,818 in July 2007 from 54,560 in April 2000."

"The spreading suburban sprawl has brought with it stores, restaurants and other development."

"Evidence of the population boom is easy to spot in Kendall, a county with farming roots."

"'One of the main things that people notice is certainly an increase in traffic,' Kendall County Board chairman John Church said."

"More people means new challenges for local government in terms of transportation, infrastructure and public safety issues, Church said. For example, there's a $30 million courthouse expansion in the works and the jail has had to be expanded, he said."