Kendall's Hispanic numbers nearly quadruple

The Hispanic population in Kendall County has nearly quadrupled over the past seven years, according to new figures released by the United States Census Bureau this week.

But those numbers have only sporadically translated into new Hispanic-owned businesses in the county, economic development officials say.

In an update to 2007 population estimates released last month, the Census Bureau revealed that Kane County still has the highest percentage of minorities in the region -- 36 percent of the population in 2007, up from 26 percent in 2000.

Numbers are up in DuPage and Will counties as well: DuPage is 26 percent minority, up from 20 percent seven years ago; and Will is now 29 percent minority, up from 22 percent in 2000.

But Kendall County is setting the pace for the Fox Valley. It remains one of the fastest-growing counties in the country -- the population is up to 96,818, an increase of 43 percent over the last census figures in 2000. In the past seven years, the minority population of the county has grown from 11 percent to nearly 25 percent.

In 2000, the Hispanic population in Kendall numbered 4,086. In 2007, that number rose to 15,466, an increase of 279 percent.

According to Robert Bernstein, spokesman for the Census Bureau, Kendall County's Hispanic population growth is ranked 14th in the nation among counties with 10,000 people or more.

There are more than 2,400 counties in that category, Bernstein said, adding that the Hispanic population in Kendall is growing more than six times as fast as the overall population.

But that increase in Hispanic residents, at least in Oswego, has not meant a flood of Hispanic-owned businesses, or even businesses aimed at the Hispanic population, said Michael Cassa, head of the city's economic development corporation. He said there has been an increase in businesses opening, but could not think of one targeted at the Hispanic community.

That's not the case in Plano, according to Rich Healy, executive director of the city's economic development corporation. He said Plano has seen a marked increase in Hispanic residents, and although many choose to live in Plano while working elsewhere, his office has seen a rise in Hispanic-owned businesses in town as well.

However, he noted the economy is not what it was three years ago, and that could account for the slowdown in new businesses -- Hispanic and otherwise -- throughout the county. Healy said his office was taking four to five phone calls a month from interested business owners earlier this year, but lately the phone has been silent.

The Plano EDC does use the growing Hispanic population as a selling point for businesses looking to locate in the city and also offers courses on building a Hispanic customer base, Healy said.

Plano's growth has been at the same pace as the county at large -- the city's latest special census figures put it at 11,600 residents, many of whom don't want to drive out of town to get the necessities.

"That's 6,000 new residents in seven years," Healy said. "We're teaching people to work with the newer population."