Grundy County 6th fastest growing county in state

The Grundy Economic Development Council shared an economic snapshot with the Grundy County Board on Aug. 12, discussing the county’s 8.1% growth from 2010 to 2024, making it the sixth-fastest-growing county in Illinois.

Ethan Scrogham, the GEDC’s Economic Development associate, said Grundy County is expected to gain another 5,422 residents between 2019 and 2029. He also said the county’s median income is $91,000, 17% greater than the rest of the state and 14% greater than the national median income.

He said Grundy’s unemployment rate in 2025 is 4.6%, and the labor force is made up of about 29,000 people.

The labor force participation rate is 68%, meaning 68% of the entire population of Grundy County is part of the labor force.

This number is up from 62% in 2019, and job sectors that saw the most growth include general merchandise, retail, truck transportation, health, personal care, retailers, oil and gas extraction, and construction.

Scrogham also said Grundy saw more residential permits in 2024 than in 2023, and 50 of the 137 residential building permits were in Channahon. Minooka had eight new building permits, Morris had 40 and unincorporated Grundy had 17.

There are also fewer active real estate listings in Grundy County. Meanwhile, Grundy County’s total equalized assessed value topped $3.5 billion, an 11% growth from 2023 to 2024.

“While we continue to see an increase in higher education levels, we are still behind the state and surrounding counties,” Scrogham said.

Almost 60% of Grundy County residents have completed high school or some college, and 35% have an associate’s degree or higher.

Board President Drew Muffler said those numbers make it look like Grundy County is headed in the right direction.

“If a community isn’t growing, it’s dying,” Muffler said. “We’re definitely growing.”