McHenry County’s population has gotten bigger, older and more diverse in the 21st century, and local employers, schools and governments already have been challenged to adapt to the changing demographics.

Schools and local municipalities are being tasked with shifting curriculums and services that accommodate non-native English speakers. Employers also face the prospects of a brain-drained workforce as the aging Baby Boomer generation approaches retirement and takes its institutional memory with it.

The county’s demographic changes are in line with national trends, with longer lifespans, shifting cultural norms, increased immigration and the economic downturn as contributing factors.