Welcome to this growing community of nearly 154,000 residents, a city where retail sales ranking and reaffirmed bond ratings reflect a strong local economy. Thanks to everybody who shops, dines and supports enterprise locally. (PN Photo)
City of Naperville Report
Naperville has long been regarded as a world-class community that successfully balances the financial requirements of providing daily municipal services with the implementation of a long-term community vision. Recently, the City of Naperville once again achieved financial milestones that showcase its commitment to fiscal responsibility and reinforce its reputation as the leading place to do business in Illinois, highlighting the continued health of the local economy.
In early July, Naperville was again awarded the highest available bond rating for the City’s General Obligation bonds by both Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings (S&P) and Moody’s Ratings. The City has held the ‘AAA’ rating from S&P and the ‘Aaa’ rating from Moody’s for over 30 years, a testament to Naperville’s healthy local economy and sound financial practices, including a low debt burden, strong cash reserves and stable pension funding.
The bond-rating process is important because independent agencies issue ratings based on many factors, including development trends, population growth and available cash reserves, which together assess the City’s financial health. A triple-A rating for a community indicates a lower risk to individuals and institutions that purchase the bonds, which favorably affects the cost of borrowing by lowering interest rates.
Moody’s report noted that Naperville “benefits from a growing economic base, stable financial profile supported by budgetary flexibility associated with its home rule status and its role as the second largest local economy in Illinois,” while S&P noted Naperville’s “robust, growing economy that is independently strong but also part of a broad and diverse metropolitan statistical area, along with a high level of reserves; consistently stable financial operating results, with no immediate budgetary pressures; low debt; and a sophisticated and knowledgeable management team.”
The ratings reviews were conducted in conjunction with a planned $40 million bond issuance later this month, which will fund ongoing projects for Naperville’s Electric and Water Utilities. The full rating reports are available on the City Finance page of Naperville’s website.
In 2025, Naperville also retained its title as the state’s top retail sales tax generator outside of Chicago, as determined by Melaniphy & Associates, which reported the finding in its 2026 Melaniphy Chicagoland Retail Sales Report. Naperville has held this distinction since 2017, when it overtook Schaumburg. In 2025, Naperville recorded over $5.7 billion in retail sales and was the top location in the suburbs for grocery, drinking and eating, home improvement, and auto dealer and gas purchases.
“Being the state’s second-largest retail economy for nine years running is a testament to our community leaders and planners of the past who set us up for success today,” Mayor Scott Wehrli said. “That success matters because it keeps costs down for our residents. When businesses generate strong sales tax revenue, that money helps pay for city services, roads and public safety, so the burden doesn’t fall as heavily on homeowners through property taxes. People want to live and visit a community known for its financial stability, public safety and quality of life. Businesses want to open their doors here too, and when they do, they help keep Naperville affordable for the people who call it home.”
Report submitted by Kate Schultz, Senior Communications Specialist, for the City of Naperville.
PN Editor’s Note / The City of Naperville is among individual taxing districts that serve Naperville residents. The Naperville Park District and two school districts also are local taxing bodies. In addition, Naperville is served by two counties, DuPage and Will. Residents in DuPage and Will County have as many as 8 to 12 individual taxing districts that levy taxes here.
Both Naperville Community Unit School District 203 and Indian Prairie School District 204 approved property tax levy increases for operations this year. The Naperville Park District passed a 3.9% property tax increase for 2026.
In addition, a Naperville Park District referendum was approved by voters on March 17, 2026, for $120 million. The bond will fund an indoor community activity center at the Frontier Sports Complex and the acquisition of additional open space. For a home valued at $500,000, the estimated annual tax impact is $117.
Kindly note, the City of Naperville did not raise it municipal property tax rate this year. In fact, according to the City’s website, the city’s adopted 2026 budget projects a tax rate decrease from $0.5988 to $0.5583 per $100 of equalized assessed valuation (EAV).
