The Sustainable Business Center is located in Galesburg, a city of Knox County in West Central Illinois. Galesburg has a rich history and we are incredibly proud to a part of this community. Founded by George Washington Gale, Galesburg was home to the first anti-slavery society in Illinois and was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Galesburg's history and its community continue to be a source of inspiration as we work to better our environment.

Population Demographics

	Galesburg	Illinois
Population, 2013 estimate	31,665	12,882,135
Population, percent change, April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2013	-1.6%	0.4%
Population, 2010	32,195	12,830,632
Persons under 18 years old, percent, 2010	19.7%	24.4%
Female persons, percent, 2010	49.5%	51.0%
White persons, percent, 2010 (a)	81.1%	71.5%
Black persons, percent, 2010 (a)	11.5%	14.5%
Asian persons, percent, 2010 (a)	0.9%	4.6%
Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2000 (b)	6.9%	15.8%
Living in same house 1 year & over, percent, 2009-2013	86.0%	86.8%
Foreign born persons, percent, 2009-2013	3.5%	13.8%
Language other than English spoken at home, pct age 5+, 2009-2013	7.3%	22.3%
High school graduates, percent of persons age 25+, 2009-2013	82.4%	87.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher, pct of persons age 25+, 2009-2013	15.9%	31.4%
Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16+, 2009-2013	15.9	28.0
Housing units, 2010	14,280	5,296,715
Homeownership rate, 2009-2013	60.0%	67.5%
Persons per household, 2009-2013	2.15	2.63
Median household income, 2009-2013	$32,720	$56,797
Per capita money income in the past 12 months (2013 dollars), 2009-2013	$19,622	$29,666

For a complete list, visit the US. Census bureau website.

Infrastructure

Interstate 74, two US highways, the Amtrak, multiple bus services, and a municipal airport serve Galesburg. BNSF Railway Company, the second-largest freight railroad network in North America, has mainlines carrying 150 to 200 trains through the city per day, in seven directions. Galesburg is home to two institutions of higher education, Knox College and Carl Sandburg College, in addition to public and private primary schools. There are three major commercial districts with large-name retailers and unique, locally owned businesses. Galesburg is also home to 25 public parks (731 acres of land), 7 public swimming pools, 5 museums, 4 community theatres, 4 indoor sports centers, 3 public golf courses and 2 hospitals. The cost of doing business in Galesburg is lower than state or national averages in several categories.

Businesses Demographics

	Galesburg	Illinois
Wholesale trade sales, 2007 ($1000)	363,987	257,760,713
Retail sales, 2007 ($1000)	618,269	165,450,520
Retail sales per capita, 2002	$19,764	$12,947
Accommodation and foodservices sales, 2007 ($1000)	60,203	25,469,026
Total number of firms, 2007	2,130	1,123,817
Black-owned firms, percent, 2007	S	9.5%
American Indian and Alaska Native owned firms, percent, 2007	F	0.5%
Asian-owned firms, percent, 2007	F	5.3%
Hispanic-owned firms, percent, 2007	F	5.0%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander owned firms, percent, 2007	F	0.1%
Women-owned firms, percent, 2007	33.0%	30.5%
*F=fewer than 100 firms; S=Suppressed - does not meet publication standards

Why West Central Illinois?

From the bountiful cornfields to the endless blue skies, it's hard not to be swept up in the beauty and possibility of West Central Illinois. The region covers a 300-mile radius that encompasses nearly 34 million people, approximately 15% of the nation’s population. It is the largest 300-mile market west of Chicago. The region is also adjacent to one of the Top 15 Logistics Centers in the Midwest, the Quad Cities. With all of these cities within reach, via multiple modes of transportation, there is no better place to start your business.


CITY	TRAVEL TIME (BY CAR)	TRAVEL TIME (BY TRAIN)	DISTANCE
Chicago	2.78	3.0	181
St. Louis	2.86	3.5	186
Kansas City	5.25	4.0	341
Minneapolis	5.82	10.0	378
Detroit	6.6	9.0	429
Memphis	7.18	9.5	467
Cleveland	7.69	10.5	500
Atlanta	11.09	23.0	721
New Orleans	13.25	20.0	861
Dallas	14.18	21.0	922
New York	14.52	23.0	944
* Driving time assumes a 10-hour drive day, traveling at an average speed of 65 miles per hour, with no stops; distances are measured in miles and times measured in hours.

Geography