The City of Naperville Launches 2026 National Community Survey

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — The City of Naperville is launching the 2026 National Community Survey (NCS) on Monday, April 6, to gather feedback on City services and overall quality of life in Naperville. The City is partnering with Polco, an independent research firm and civic engagement company, to administer the survey. To achieve a representative sample, randomly selected households will be invited to participate through a mailed invitation and survey packet. A few weeks later, an online version of the survey will be available to all residents. The survey results will inform the City’s strategic priorities and 2027 budget planning.

The City’s Bridge to 2023 Priorities Plan recommended that the City conduct a statistically valid resident survey every few years to give decision-makers an assessment of resident satisfaction. Based on that recommendation, the City worked with Polco in 2023 to implement the 2023 National Community Survey, and results were used to create the Naperville 2027: Investing in Our Community Priorities Plan.

The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete and is available in English, Spanish and Mandarin. Responses are confidential, and no identifying information is shared. The survey is broken down into two different types: The Sampled Survey and the Open Participation Survey. The questions are the same for both, except the Open Participation Survey asks participants to enter their zip code.

The Sampled Survey: April 6 - June 1

A random sampling of households is selected to participate from a comprehensive list of residential addresses to reduce bias, obtain feedback from all areas of Naperville and ensure statistically valid data by zip code. Polco mails the sample households a paper invitation and a survey packet that includes a unique code to access the survey, a paper survey and a postage-paid envelope. Participants can fill out the paper survey or complete the survey online.

The Open Participation Survey: May 11 – June 1

This survey is open to all Naperville residents and available online. The link to the survey will be published on Monday, May 11, on the City’s website at www.naperville.il.us/2026NCSSurvey. Residents can sign up at www.polco.us/n/res/account to be notified when the Open Participation Survey goes live. Since only the Sampled Survey is statistically valid, Polco will include the Open Participation Survey results separately from the Sampled Survey in its final report.

“Launching a community survey every few years allows the City to better understand residents’ opinions of City services and helps us identify where we are meeting resident expectations and where gaps exist. The survey data will guide future decision-making, including the allocation of City resources and project prioritization,” said City Manager Doug Krieger.

The survey captures opinions across ten facets of community livability, including but not limited to economy, mobility, utilities and safety. The NCS results allow the City of Naperville to identify areas of strength and improvement, and benchmark performance against other communities across the country. Additionally, the City will compare results against the 2023 NCS data and other previous Naperville community surveys to see what has changed. Results will be shared with the community this summer, and additional communication will be released at that time.

For more information about the NCS, including frequently asked questions, visit www.naperville.il.us/2026NCSSurvey. For more information on the City of Naperville, visit www.naperville.il.us.

About Naperville: Located 28 miles west of Chicago, Naperville, Ill., is home to approximately 150,000 people. This vibrant, thriving city consistently ranks as a top community in the nation in which to live, raise children and retire. The city is home to acclaimed public and parochial schools, the best public library system in the country, an array of healthcare options and an exceptionally low crime rate. Naperville has ready access to a variety of public transportation, housing and employment options. The city’s diversified employer base features high technology firms, retailers and factories, as well as small and home-based businesses. Residents also enjoy world-class parks, diverse worship options, the opportunity to serve on several City boards and commissions, a thriving downtown shopping and dining area, a renowned outdoor history museum known as Naper Settlement and an active civic community. For more information, please visit our website at www.naperville.il.us.