Schaumburg is a village situated in northeastern Illinois, United States, primarily in Cook County and partially in DuPage County. According to the 2020 Census, Schaumburg had a population of 78,723, making it the most populous incorporated village in the country. Located approximately 28 miles northwest of the Loop and 10 miles northwest of O’Hare International Airport, Schaumburg is part of the Golden Corridor.
Schaumburg was rated as the top place to Money magazine in 2018, and in 2017, it was ranked as the 9th best place to live in the entire United States.
Schaumburg officially became a village on March 7, 1956, though its history reaches back to ancient times when Native American tribes such as the Sauk, Fox, Potawatomi, and Kickapoo inhabited the area. In the mid-1800s, the first settlers arrived from Bonn, Germany, and the eastern United States. A significant number of German immigrants originated from Schaumburg-Lippe, a small principality located in Lower Saxony.
In 1967, a groundbreaking development, International Village, arose at the intersection of Meacham and Algonquin roads, marking Schaumburg’s inaugural foray into diverse residential options beyond single-family homes. The following year, Motorola initiated the construction of its headquarters, strategically situated just across the street, solidifying the area’s transformation into a thriving hub of activity.
In 2000, the local government acquired 45 acres of land adjacent to a separate section of Meacham Road, which was then developed into the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center.
Based on the census data from 2021, Schaumburg covers an area of 19.47 square miles, with 99.39% being land and 0.61% water. The town’s elevation ranges from 750 to 850 feet above sea level, peaking at 850 feet where Schaumburg Road and Webster Lane intersect. Schaumburg is where the West Branch Dupage River originates, draining the central and western parts of the village towards the southwest. Meanwhile, the eastern part is drained by the West Branch of the Salt Creek, which flows east into Busse Lake.
Schaumburg is home to the corporate headquarters of several prominent companies, including Zurich North America, Motorola Solutions, and Perdoceo Education Corporation, formerly known as Career Education Corporation.
The headquarters of Zurich Insurance in North America can be found in Schaumburg. Notably, Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates are also home to numerous Japanese companies’ U.S. headquarters, as of 2011.
Schaumburg is serviced by a Metra station on the Milwaukee District West Line, which runs between Elgin and Chicago Union Station. Initially, the Suburban Transit Access Route (STAR Line) intended to establish two stations in the vicinity, one at IKEA and another on Roselle Road, but these plans were ultimately abandoned by Metra in 2012. The sole existing station is situated near Boomers Stadium. Furthermore, the Schaumburg Regional Airport, a small airport catering to general aviation, can be found along Irving Park Road, just west of Roselle Road.
Pace’s local and I-90 Express buses make stops at the Northwest Transportation Center hub in Schaumburg close to Woodfield Mall. From there, passengers can catch buses to the Rosemont Transportation Center, where they can transfer to the Blue Line for Chicago, as well as to Elgin. In addition, Pace provides a dial-a-ride bus service that is available to everyone. Reservations for this service need to be made at least 90 minutes ahead of time.
Community Consolidated School District 54, a public school district, encompasses elementary schools in Schaumburg and beyond. Several of these schools have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the Blue Ribbon Awards and Teachers Who Excel award. In addition to offering Special Education and Dual Language classes, the district provides programs for gifted students.
Schaumburg is a member of Township High School District 211, which includes five high schools: Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Conant, Fremd, and Palatine. Schaumburg High School has recently completed renovations on the exterior of the building, as well as expanded with new classrooms, science labs, and faculty offices. A similar project was also carried out at Conant High School by District 211.
In addition to public schools, Schaumburg is home to various private and religious educational institutions. These include Schaumburg Christian School, St. Peter Lutheran School, St. Hubert Catholic School, Our Lady of Annabelle Grace Catholic Academy, and Hadi School of Excellence.
The Schaumburg campus of Roosevelt University, a non-profit institution, is the largest four-year university in Chicago’s Northwest suburbs, serving approximately 2,500 students. The campus is located in a former office building that was converted into a comprehensive campus in 1996. The Albert A. Robin Campus is home to Roosevelt’s Doctor of Pharmacy program, which welcomed its first class in July 2011 and has since achieved full accreditation. The campus also hosts the university’s only PhD program in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, which began in August 2012.
The Schaumburg campus of Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, which operates under the umbrella of Argosy University (previously known as the Illinois Institute of Psychology), is a for-profit educational institution. Additionally, American InterContinental University is also a for-profit institution.
As of April 2017, Schaumburg Township District Library boasts a comprehensive collection of over 560,000 materials, housed across three branches: the main branch in Schaumburg and smaller branches in Hanover Park and Hoffman Estates.
Some notable individuals include:
* Lou Clarizio, a former outfielder in the Negro baseball leagues.
* Susan Downey (née Levin), a producer and the wife of actor Robert Downey Jr., who was also the valedictorian of her class at Schaumburg High School in 1991.
* Jason Guida, a professional mixed martial artist.
* Matt Haag, a professional Call of Duty player.
* Kurt Kittner, a former NFL quarterback who played for the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons.
* Jessica Lu, an actress and model.
* Shane Madej, an internet personality, writer, and producer, known for his work on Buzzfeed Unsolved and Watcher on YouTube.
* Chris Mueller, a soccer player who plays as a winger for Chicago Fire FC in Major League Soccer and the United States national team.
* Adwar Mousa, an Assyrian singer-songwriter.
The Schaumburg Park District unveiled Bison’s Bluff Nature Playground, its latest children’s play area, in the spring of 2017.