Located nearly a one-hour drive from downtown Chicago, St. Charles is a vibrant western suburb straddling Kane and DuPage counties. With the picturesque Fox River winding through the center of its bustling downtown, St. Charles is regarded as an idyllic community and tourist destination.
Incorporated in 1834, the town's early settlers, many European immigrants, moved to the area when the building of the town's first dam spurred the rise of industry. Several "stations" of the Underground Railroad were reportedly in St. Charles homes. An abolitionist group known as the Kane County Anti-Slavery Society was also active during the 1840s.
With more than 30,000 residents, St. Charles offers a varied housing stock, including older estates, in-town homes along the Fox River, and condominiums. The average sales price for a single-family home in St. Charles was $338,362 in 2012, and the average condominium was $209,429 (source: Midwest Real Estate Data, LLC).
Students attend schools within Community Unit School District 303, which consists of 11 elementary schools, 2 middle schools and 2 high schools. Three District 303 schools have been named Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. St. Charles East and St. Charles North were also ranked among the top 4% of all public high schools nationwide in the 2012 U.S. News rankings of America's Best High Schools. The town has also been ranked by Family Circle magazine as one of the best towns/cities for families.
