ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — Arlington Heights residents continue to rate their community highly for livability, giving strong marks for economic health, education, and trust in local government. These insights come from the 2025 National Community Survey, which the Village commissioned to assess resident sentiment and guide future planning.
The survey was conducted by the National Research Center at Polco, with data collected from 468 adult respondents between February 14 and March 28, 2025. Participants were randomly selected from a pool of 3,000 households, and the results carry a 5% margin of error.
What Residents Like: Economic Strength, Schools, and Local Government
Residents rated Arlington Heights as an excellent place to work, up 11 percentage points since 2023, and also praised it as a place to visit and shop. The vibrancy of downtown and the diversity of local businesses stood out as key strengths.
Education, arts, and culture received high ratings, especially K–12 education, which ranked significantly above national averages. Trust in local government also remains strong, with rising satisfaction in transparency, leadership, and perceived value for tax dollars, increasing from 55% in 2023 to 61% in 2025.
The National Community Survey
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Areas of Concern: Affordability and Community Design
While satisfaction remains high, concerns are growing around affordability. Residents gave lower marks to the cost of living, affordable food (-10 points), healthcare (-12 points), and high-speed internet (-10 points). Though healthcare access still outpaced national norms, other affordability-related items now align with national averages.
Feedback on community planning was also more critical this year. Ratings declined for residential growth planning (-12 points), neighborhood design (-9 points), and zoning and land use, although these remained above national benchmarks.
Sustainability, Transit, and Engagement
Arlington Heights continues to show strong engagement with sustainable mobility. Nearly half of respondents reported using public transportation regularly, and 70% said they walked or biked at some point in the past year, both higher than national averages.
Composting is gaining traction. While only 10% currently use Groot’s composting service, 60% said they’d support a year-round program. Most (70%) preferred a user-funded model; the remainder backed a cost-sharing option via the Village’s General Fund.
Public events are well-attended: 64% went to Arlington Alfresco, 55% to Sounds of Summer, and nearly half to Harmony Fest. However, awareness of some events is still limited: 57% were unaware of the Community Open House, and 42% didn’t know about the Autumn Harvest festival.
Stability with Shifts in Focus
Out of 122 questions repeated from 2023, 107 showed no significant change. Three items improved, especially job satisfaction, while 12 areas saw measurable drops, mostly tied to affordability and planning.
What’s Next
The results show that residents value Arlington Heights, while also pointing to key areas that need attention. Village officials have identified affordability, growth planning, and public communication as priorities for further exploration.
The Village entered a two-year agreement with Polco for survey services, which includes a subscription, result presentations, and options for custom questions. The initial invoice was $24,900, with the total cost capped at $29,750 for the full contract.
For more information, visit www.polco.us or contact Avis Meade at ameade@vah.com.
