Elmhurst Surveys Well, Except In Some Categories

ELMHURST, IL – A survey showed that Elmhurst residents are generally satisfied with the community, with a few exceptions.

Through a consultant, Elmhurst surveyed 488 residents, with 2,500 homes randomly selected. Aldermen heard a presentation on the results Monday.

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More than nine out of 10 gave Elmhurst "good" or "excellent" ratings as a place to live and for overall quality of life and image.

About nine out of ten residents plan to remain in Elmhurst for the next five years and recommend living in Elmhurst to someone who asks.

The consultant, Polco, compared Elmhurst's results to 400 towns across the United States.

Compared to national benchmarks, Elmhurst received higher ratings in 62 categories and similar ratings in 47. The city got no ratings lower than benchmarks.

In some categories, Elmhurst received low ratings from survey respondents.

Just a quarter of respondents said the cost of living was "excellent" or "good" in Elmhurst. And 17 percent said the same about the availability of affordable quality housing. (Like elsewhere, home values have surged in recent years. Now the median value is at $700,000.)

Jason Neumeyer of Polco, who was speaking to the City Council remotely, said Elmhurst's cost of living and housing affordability ratings resembled those of many other towns.

Mayor Scott Levin said affordable housing was a topic of current events, both at the local and state levels. He asked about the towns to which Elmhurst was compared.

Jason Neumeyer of Polco, who was speaking to the City Council remotely, said the communities are a "good mix," including many suburbs.

Next time, he said, Polco could compare Elmhurst to similarly wealthy towns and those of a certain size and region.

Another low rating was for traffic flow on major streets, which 41 percent rated as "good" or "excellent." It's been a frustration expressed by residents for years. At the same time, the survey result was similar to many other towns, Neumeyer said.

Vast majorities expressed confidence in the local police and fire departments. And they approved of the city's snow removal and street repair efforts.