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Detailed pages on related topics: Aurora colleges • Aurora travel • Aurora mortgage and property.
Introduction to Aurora, Illinois
The Illinois city of Aurora is located about 42 miles west of Chicago along the Illinois East/West Tollway Corridor. Although traditionally considered as belonging to Kane County, the city limits of Aurora actually span portions of four counties (the others being DuPage, Kendall, and Will Counties). Nearby communities include Geneva (to the north), De Kalb (to the west), Oswega (to the south), and Woodridge (to the east). Illinois State Highway 31 bisects the city, which is also serviced by State Highway 56 and U.S. Routes 30 and 34.
Founded in 1837 by New York natives Joseph and Samuel McCarty, Aurora was originally named McCarty Mills. When it merged with neighboring West Aurora, the two communities incorporated as one in 1857. Known as the "City of Lights", Aurora in 1881 became the first city in the United States to use electric lights for lighting all of the city's streets. For part of the early 1900s, Aurora was home to six different automobile companies, all of which eventually folded. Manufacturing, however, remained a strong part of the city's economy throughout both World Wars and during the Depression years. It wasn't until the 1970s and 1980s that many factories started to close and the city began turning to alternate sources of revenue. A riverboat casino was welcomed into the city's downtown area and development ensued both around the casino and in nearby residential communities. Subsequently, many business parks sprang up on the outer edges of the city and Aurora experienced a large population surge during the last decade of the 20th century. The trend is ongoing as businesses today continue to expand and people continue to move into the area.
Things to do in Aurora
Aurora is replete with attractions, including several museums and theaters, a casino, water parks, and trails for many types of outdoor recreation. The Hollywood Casino, which features over 53,000 square feet of gaming space and includes two restaurants and a robust collection of movie memorabilia, is located in downtown Aurora. Also in the city's downtown area is the Paramount Arts Centre, a large live performance theater built in 1931 in a unique hybrid of Art Deco and French Renaissance. Other year-round theater venues in the city include the First Street Playhouse and the Riverfront Playhouse. Other notable places of interest in the city include the following:
Minor league baseball in the Aurora area can be found in the neighboring city of Geneva, home of the Kane County Cougars, a Class A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. The Cougars, who play their home games at Philip B. Elfstrom Stadium, belong to the Midwest League. Major league action is not too far away, as the city of Chicago is within an hour's drive. Included among Chicago's teams are the following:
Aurora strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Illinois):
| Category | Trophy | |
|---|---|---|
| Racial Diversity (vs. State) | Top 1% |  |
| Low Rate of Poverty (vs. Peers) | Top 12% | |
| Median Family Income (vs. Peers) | Top 13% | |
| Public Transportation Use (vs. State) | Top 15% | |
| People in Middle Class or Better (vs. Peers) | Top 15% | |
| College Educated Adults (vs. State) | Top 16% | |
| Low Property Crime (vs. Peers) | Top 19% | |
Comparing Aurora to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Illinois (State):
Ratings range from 
(lowest) to 
(highest).
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Children Under 5 Years Old | | |
| Male Share of the Population |  | |
| Racial Diversity | | |
| Well-Paid Single Men |  | |
| Well-Paid Single Women |  |  |
| Female Share of the Population |  | |
| Age of the Population | | |
| Senior Citizens | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | | |
| Portion of People Married | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| People Above Poverty | |  |
| Median Family Income | | |
| People in Middle Class or Better | | |
| College Educated Adults | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Public Transportation Use | | |
| Working at Home | | |
| Short Commute Times | |  |
| Walking and Biking to Work | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Housing Recently Built | | |
| Affordability of Rents | | |
| People Living Alone | | |
| Seasonal and Vacation Housing | |  |
| Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals | | |
| Affordability of Property Taxes | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Low Property Crime | | |
Detailed pages on related topics: Aurora colleges • Aurora travel • Aurora mortgage and property.
 | Aurora Colleges Aurora colleges and trade schools. |
 | Aurora Hotels & Travel Aurora hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation. |
 | Aurora Mortgage Aurora property, mortgage, and real estate. |
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