In years past, the North Central District has experienced a relatively stable economy supported by broad, diverse industry and business distributed evenly across the five-county district. Geographic characteristics and location are favorable for economic development, and have assisted in shielding the district from economic fluctuations in the past. After the founding of the counties in the first half of the 19th century, the counties have experienced a relatively slow but steady progress in industry, commerce, employment, and population base.

Rich, fertile soils and prevailing waterway locations attracted settlers to the district from the north and east in the 1820s and 1830s. Agriculture and mining soon proved to be the most successful industries within the district and remained that way for nearly 100 years. Separate counties began to sprout out of larger, original counties and began to give the North Central District a more distinguished location. Sangamon County, which included most of northern Illinois, began to split up into the smaller counties now found in the district. Putnam County was the first to form in 1825, then LaSalle County in 1831. After being a part of Putnam County for twelve years, Bureau County was established in 1837. Marshall and Stark Counties followed in 1839. District economy and industry grew steadily along with population for the next 100 years.

Population growth began to slow down in the 1950s and 1960s for most counties in the district. This decrease produced a population loss for each county by the 1970 Census and has continued slowly since. This decrease in population is believed to be a large factor in the economic distress of the North Central District. The coal mining industry also began to slow down to a stop in the 1940s to 1950s. Very few new industries were established during this period, thus reflecting the modest population growth.

Counties and communities began to realize that further economic diversification to the areas was necessary. Many communities began to work to induce commerce and industry back to the area in their own separate ways. Slowly, this effort began to pay off, and the completion of Interstates 39 and 80 within the area brought new hope to the district as industries and commerce began to relocate into the North Central District once again. Many improvements in the district economy were attributed to the existing and improved transportation system within the district including highways, rails, rivers, and the completion of the Illinois-Michigan Canal.

The district began to notice another decrease in industry and commerce into the 1960s and 1970s as population continued to decrease. Several counties tried implementing new programs for improving their economies. This effort led to the adoption of Overall Economic Development Programs in the late 1970s and early 1980s. All of the counties in the North Central District were designated as redevelopment areas at one time. Many of the counties have not updated their respective CEDS to maintain this designation, which leads to the formation of this district and the completion of this plan.