City of Choice

Elgin is a unique community that proudly distinguishes itself from the rest of the metropolitan area. Its approachable, progressive identity is anchored in its resilient history and strong, diverse community that continues to embody a desire for an even brighter future. The community’s 180-year history is dotted with challenges, growth and innovation that has emboldened Elgin to become unapologetically itself.

A genuine and authentic character is seen both in the people and in the built environment that shapes Elgin as it is known today. The community has maintained its strong heritage as it grew from an agricultural river town and manufacturing hub to one of the largest and fastest growing cities in Illinois. Elgin offers urban appeal with cultural, entertainment and recreational opportunities matched with the conveniences of traditional suburban communities. It’s this juxtaposition that attracts diversity in its more than 112,000 residents and industries who call Elgin home.

Baseline Measurements

Elgin's community survey is the primary means of collecting feedback from residents. Elgin's last survey was conducted in 2017, the results of which serve as the baseline progress can be measured against. The actual survey had more than 500 questions. A summary of the  responses to the questions related to the Strategic Goal of being a City of Choice is presented below.

City of Choice Avg. Survey Response Score

Of the more than 150 survey questions that relate to being a City of Choice, the average score of all questions was 3.6. With the highest response valued at five and the lowest at 1.

Category Weights City of ChoiceOf the categories within City of Choice, the two highest rated were Parks and Recreation and Special Events.There are many questions that are contained within each category. A comprehensive data set for download is available here.

Top 10 City of Choice Outreach

For many survey questions there was a sizable portion of respondents that either had a neutral opinion or indicated they "did not know," represented by the decimal* in the above chart. The City of Elgin see those individuals as opportunities. In other words, they haven't yet made up their mind about our city services. Outreach about these topics will help shape their opinions and allow them to see the value of making Elgin their home. 

*Note: The Outreach Opportunity metric does not always represent the total percentage of respondents that indicated "Neutral" and "Don't Know." The decimal first takes the percentage of respondents (577 total) that responded "Don't Know," those individuals are removed and the percentages of respondents are recalculated. The revised percent of "Neutral" respondents is then added to the original "Don't Know" percentage. "Don't Know" are removed first to allow for consistent comparisons across questions.

Actionable Objectives