DuPage County

DuPage County is an administrative unit in northeastern Illinois that includes many cities and towns west of Chicago. The area covers about 336 square miles and includes residential neighborhoods, protected natural areas and commercial districts.

The administrative unit was founded in 1839 from parts of Cook County when settlers moved along the river and established new farms. Over the 20th century the area grew into part of the metropolitan region and drew businesses and residents from the city.

The name comes from a French fur trader who worked along the river that now shares his name and gave the area its identity. Today the administrative region includes many communities with their own centers, parks and streets that together shape the western suburbs of Chicago.

Most county administrative offices and services can be accessed online through a central portal that provides information about property, taxes and courts. Many parks and nature preserves are accessible by road networks and have their own visitor facilities with trails and picnic areas.

A landfill area reaches 982 feet (299 meters) above sea level and forms the highest point in the entire administrative unit. This spot stands taller than all natural elevations in the area and changed the original topography of the region.

Location: Illinois

Inception: February 9, 1839

Capital city: Wheaton

Elevation above the sea: 232 m

Shares border with: Cook County, Will County, Kendall County, Kane County

Website: https://dupagecounty.gov

GPS coordinates: 41.85195,-88.08567

Latest update: December 4, 2025 23:01