Kane County is one of the collar counties surrounding the Chicago metropolitan area and lies on the western edge of the northeastern Illinois region. The county is approximately 520 square miles in area and has an estimated 2014 population of 527,306 for an overall population density of 1,014 people per square mile. By the year 2040, the expected population is 789,295, representing a potential increase of 261,898.

 The most notable natural feature in Kane County is the Fox River. The headwaters of the Fox River are in southern Wisconsin and flows over a rocky bed from Clinton until some distance below the southern line of Kane into Kendall County. The largest cities in the county, Aurora (also the second largest in Illinois with an estimated 2014 population of 200,456) and Elgin (with an estimated 2014 population of 111,117), grew up along the Fox years ago when energy harnessed from the river supported a variety of industries. In addition to having a thriving commercial base, farming has long been a way of life and important economic activity in Kane County.   In an effort to preserve the rich agricultural heritage, the County Board approved purchasing agricultural easements as part of the Kane County Farmland Preservation Program and the Federal Farmland Protection Program. This commitment has resulted in 5,298 acres of farmland being protected and funded for protection.