While not completely full of wild animals, Elk Grove Village in Illinois is home to some wild people. Maybe there's something in the food? Billy Corgan and James Iha (of Smashing Pumpkins fame) would know, as they both hail from this quaint grove.
Elk Grove Village actually contains a grove full of elk. The elk weren't original residents of this part of the country, but that didn't stop a guy called Busse from importing them from Montana in the 1920s. I guess he just thought they were neat? Luckily, the 33,000 residents in town still overpower the elk. If things get a bit hairy, though, Chicago's O'Hare Airport is pretty close by, so escape wouldn't be too difficult. Is a huge industrial site really so different from that original plan for a natural utopia? OK, it is. But there are lots of jobs!
Having trouble with Craigslist Elk Grove Village? Can't find that special apartment for rent on Apartment Finder or Zillow? Apartment List is here to help!
Getting Into the Grove
Moving to Elk Grove Village
Regardless of your chosen occupation, chances are there's an employer in town perfect for you. There are 10 major employers in Elk Grove Village that are responsible for employing thousands of nearby residents. The top employer by a mile is the Alexian Brothers Medical Center. These guys hire nearly 2,000 workers to help provide decent medical care for the county, as well as to do the less-lifesaving-but-also-important paperwork and filing. After the Medical Center, the largest local employers are Automatic Data Processing, Citigroup, The American Academy of Pediatrics, HCR Manor Care, Elk Grove High School, Steiner Electric, RR Donnelley and the Material Sciences Corporation. Also, let's not forget the Village of Elk Grove Village. No, that's not a misprint. That is simply the name of the municipal building. Village of Elk Grove Village.
Famous Residents and Native Sons
Did we already mention the frontman from the Smashing Pumpkins? Yeah, Billy Corgan. From right here in Elk Grove! Ditto with the band's guitarist, James Iha, so really the whole world has Elk Grove Village to thank for the band's content. It's the same story with the soap opera actor John Loprieno, president of the Chicago Blackhawks John McDonough, and authors Dave Cullen, Bill Kelly and Jerry Jenkins. Impressed? Great! Come on down and add your own special flavor to the gang.
Houses and Rental Apartments in Elk Grove
Apartments for rent in Elk Grove Village are not available in large numbers, but there are a few options available if that's the direction you want to take. If you have passed that magical age of 65, there is good news on the housing front: seniors' apartments cost less and are more readily available. If you're a bit younger or just don't want to hang out with people your age, you're going to be spending a few hundred dollars more in rent every month, not including utilities.
The rental cost for a house is not that much higher than an apartment, and you get a lot of extra space, you know, for activities and stuff. The lawns are spacious, the architecture sometimes quite fascinating, and all in all renting a house in this town is a good deal.
Living in Elk Grove
Cyclists Welcome
The Tour of Elk Grove is a popular bike race modeled after the French Tour de Paris. The first bicycle race was held in 2006 for the town's 50th anniversary since incorporation as an official American town. Over the span of 3 days, there were 16 professional and amateur bicycle races that covered a total distance of 172 miles. This has been a major draw for tourists and athletes in the years since 2006, so much so that the town hopes to hold an annual Tour. So basically, if you are an enthusiastic athlete who really enjoys biking, this is THE town for you to call home, specifically because the men's local team really needs to step it up and beat the foreigners! If biking's not so much your thing, get a vendor's license and sell hot dogs and beer to all the gawkers. You know they'll love it.
A surprising Asian influence
There is a top-rated restaurant called the Tofu House, and a popular local newspaper published in no other than Korean. So great! This means that when you find a house or apartment to rent in Elk Grove Village, you'll have something fun to eat on Fridays. And Saturdays. The scheduling really isn't important. Obviously if you actually have Korean heritage, this might be considered a plus if you like to keep up on the news and eat something that your grandmother might have cooked for you when you were small. It's always comforting to keep a little piece of your childhood alive, wherever you may roam.