Above / Pictured last weekend in ever-changing seasonal splendor, the Civic Plaza with its Dandelion Fountain along the Riverwalk provided a welcoming gathering place for visitors in downtown Naperville. The 2023 Community Survey says at least 95% of Naperville residents positively rated the overall quality of life, including valuing the City’s outdoor amenities and parks and recreation opportunities. (PN Photo)
The City of Naperville recently surveyed residents to better understand the community’s needs and perspectives. This scientifically valid survey comprehensively looks at Naperville’s strengths, areas of improvement, and residents’ priorities. The findings show that residents give high ratings to public safety and the local economy, among other findings. A complete report of the 2023 community survey is available here.
The 2023 Community Survey was developed to assess how residents feel about the livability of the Naperville community. It captures opinions on the quality of life, economy, utilities, education, inclusivity, engagement and more.
“Naperville’s Bridge to 2023 Priorities Plan recommended that a statistically significant resident survey be conducted every two to three years for feedback on City services and key issues,” said City Manager Doug Krieger. “This survey is an important tool for ensuring that we continue to make Naperville an excellent place to live, work and raise a family. I’m incredibly proud that the results show Naperville residents value our City staff’s hard work and dedication.”
This is the first time Naperville conducted a survey with Polco, a social science research firm specializing in gathering and analyzing information for public sector entities. Tracking changes over time helps leaders measure progress and make data-driven decisions. The City last completed a community survey in 2016, and Naperville previously completed community surveys in 2012, 2008 and 2006.
Key findings of 2023 survey
The survey’s key findings, as determined by survey researchers at Polco, include:
- Naperville residents enjoy an exceptional quality of life. At least 95% of residents positively rated the overall quality of life in Naperville.
- Residents appreciate opportunities for education, arts and culture in the City, with 94% of Naperville residents giving excellent or good marks to the overall opportunities.
- Naperville residents experience a vibrant local economy and applaud Naperville as a great place to work. Over nine in 10 Naperville residents offered high marks for the City’s overall economic health.
- Trust in local government performance is high, and residents feel included in their community. All survey questions relating to local government performance received ratings that exceeded national averages: around eight in 10 residents gave excellent or good marks to Naperville government.
- Naperville residents value the City’s outdoor amenities and parks and recreation opportunities. The facets of Natural Environment and Parks and Recreation were rated as high in quality by about nine in 10 residents, and as high in importance by about eight in 10.
View the survey results…
View the full survey results at The NCS Report – Naperville, IL 2023.
For more information on the City of Naperville, visit www.naperville.il.us.
Report submitted by the City of Naperville.
