Steve Thoren, known locally as “Mr. Elgin,” has always known his hometown is a great place to live, and now everyone else knows it as well thanks to U.S. News & World Report listing the city as No. 5 on its annual Best Places to Live in Illinois.
Nationally, Elgin also came in at No. 122 on the magazine’s 250 Best Places to Live in the U.S. based on an evaluation that considers everything from affordability and quality of life to job market strength and overall desirability.
“I’m born and raised here. I love Elgin,” Thoren said. “It seems like everywhere I go, people are happy and happy with the city. It just keeps getting better.”
To comprise the rankings, U.S. News evaluated more than 850 cities throughout the country.
The appraisal was based on five core factors: quality of life, which evaulated education, air quality index and environmental index; value, which covered housing affordability and cost of living; desirability, which accounted for crime rates, weather temperateness, culture/leisure and average commute time; job market, assessing unemployment rate and median household income; and net migration, which measured the number of people moving to and away from each city.
With all factors considered, Elgin’s overall score was 6.1 on a scale of 10. The only Illinois towns that ranked higher were Arlington Heights at No. 1, followed by Buffalo Grove, Naperville and Palatine.
“Elgin’s rich history, cultural diversity and commitment to sustainable growth have created a community where people are proud to live, work and raise families,” Mayor Dave Kaptain said in a city news release about the ranking.
“From our downtown and scenic Fox River trails to our strong schools and thriving arts scene, Elgin offers a quality of life that is both unique and enriching,” he said.
Carol Gieske, executive director of the Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce, said she believes there are many reasons the city should be on the list.
“Living in Elgin means enjoying the warmth of a tight-knit community and the amenities of a bustling city,” she said. “As the ‘City in the Suburbs,’ Elgin offers a dynamic, affordable lifestyle that attracts young professionals, growing families and retirees. … We are a community that celebrates the diversity in our people, businesses, education, arts, natural surroundings, and more,” Gieske said.
This wasn’t first time Elgin ranked high on such an evaluation list. Last year it was named the “safest and most affordable city in America” by GoBankingRates.com.
U.S. News pulls its evaluation data from several sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau, FBI, Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Applied Geographic Solutions.
Nationwide, it ranked Johns Creek, Georgia, as the No. 1 place to live in the U.S., followed by Carmel, Indiana; Pearland, Texas; Fishers, Indiana; and Cary, North Carolina.
One thing Elgin has going for it is a relatively lower cost of doing business when compared to neighboring cities, as well as more affordable real estate, lower taxes and lower-cost utilities, Gieske said.
“Elgin is consistently focusing on community development and economic opportunity to set us apart from others,” she said.
The city is also a strong supporter of the arts, which is an important part of the community and something that makes it an attractive place to live and visit, Thoren said.
“It’s nice to know we are getting the statewide and national focus,” he said.
Naperville Sun reporter Tess Kenny contributed.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
