WalletHub ranks O’Fallon as the third best city in Illinois to raise a family
When Walter Denton moved to O’Fallon 14 years ago, he was struck by how many military officers chose to retire here.
“These people had lived literally around the world, yet they decided to retire in O’Fallon,” he said. “That says a lot to me about the appeal and value of our humble community.”
The city administrator believes his city has a great story to tell.
“And I believe our best years are still ahead,” Denton said.
“We will soon have two state-of-the-art hospitals (Belleville Memorial East and St. Elizabeth's) in addition to world-class parks, a revitalized downtown district, and a high tech economy that features a highly educated workforce. While St. Louis and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) may believe we are a backwater town, I am convinced O’Fallon is the ideal place for the intelligence agency and for any business that is looking for dynamic people in a nationally-ranked community.”
While rubbing Abe Lincoln’s “lucky” nose might bring good fortune in Illinois, O’Fallon still offers plenty of incentives for families or those looking to put down roots, according to Wallethub.
O’Fallon was recently ranked as the third best city in Illinois to raise a family by WalletHub. Only Morton, Deerfield, Washington and Libertyville, ranked higher in its recently released Illinois’ study, 2016’s Best & Worst Cities for Illinois Families.
That ranking is no fluke, according to Denton.
In recent years, O’Fallon has been rated by numerous organizations and websites as a top community in Illinois and in the nation, he said.
WalletHub earlier ranked the city as the second best city in Illinois for young families in 2013.
O’Fallon was also ranked the 103rd overall best small city in the U.S. and 30th in education and health out of 1,268 cities with a population between 25,000 and 100,000 by WalletHub.
The reasons for O’Fallon’s success are not a mystery: great location on the interstate near Scott Air Force Base and St. Louis, low crime, strong schools, and vibrant quality of life.
However, the strength of a community is in its people, Mayor Gary Graham said.
“O’Fallon is blessed with active volunteer groups and community-minded leaders in business and government,” he said.
To identify the Illinois cities that hold the most promise for your clan, WalletHub’s analysts compared 162 cities in the state across 21 key indicators of ideal family conditions.
WalletHub data set ranges from the percentage of families with young children to median family income to housing affordability.
Denton said the city plans to use WalletHub’s finding as an economic development tool to help recruit businesses.
It’s also a good reminder for residents, and how a great of a community O’Fallon is, he said.
According to WalletHub, Illinois boasts the fifth-largest state economy by GDP. Even with the notably high outward migration rates among residents over the years, this Midwestern state continues to prove its economic resilience. Pair that with rising home values, one of the top 10 school systems in the U.S. and a prestigious roster of employers that includes 34 of the Fortune 500 companies, and the combination yields a gratifying quality of life.
“Granted, the Land of Lincoln is no paradise by any stretch of the word,” WalletHub states on its website. “The winters can be harsh —really harsh. But if your New Year’s resolution is to spend more time with family anyway, you can bet on ample indoor opportunities with the kids. Hopefully the additional cash you’ll be able to play with will compensate for the lack of outdoor fun. The state’s median family income stands at $71,796, which is nearly $6,000 more than the median family income in the U.S.”
To identify the Illinois cities that hold the most promise for your clan, WalletHub’s analysts compared 162 cities in the state across 21 key indicators of ideal family conditions.
O’Fallon was earlier ranked as the fifth happiest city in Illinois by CreditDonkey. Only Moline, Bloomington, Batavia and Normal ranked higher in its study.
According to CreditDonkey, O'Fallon stands out as one of the region's happier cities in Illinois primarily because of its higher median income, the rarity of violent crime, and its affordable housing.
More specifically, O’Fallon offers:
▪ one restaurant per 495 inhabitants
▪ odds of being the victim of a violent crime was 1 in 915.2
▪ the average commute time was 23.1 minutes
▪ 2.2 percent of O’Falllon residents leave for work before 5 a.m.
▪ The median household income in O’Fallon is $76,268.
O’Fallon was earlier ranked as the18th best community in the U.S. for veterans by NerdWallet, a consumer advocacy site.
Received the coveted Abilene Trophy in both 2012 and 2014 for the region’s support of Scott Air Force Base.
Scott Air Force was listed as the top place to be stationed and to live in the country by the Air Force Times.
The reasons for O’Fallon’s success are not a mystery: great location on the interstate near Scott Air Force Base and St. Louis, low crime, strong schools, and vibrant quality of life.
However, the strength of a community is in its people. O’Fallon is blessed with active volunteer groups and community-minded leaders in business and government.
To identify the Illinois cities that hold the most promise for your clan, WalletHub’s analysts compared 162 cities in the state across 21 key indicators of ideal family conditions.
WalletHub data set ranges from the percentage of families with young children to median family income to housing affordability.
Denton said the city plans to use WalletHub’s finding as an economic development tool to help recruit businesses.
It’s also a good reminder for residents, and how a great of a community O’Fallon is, he said.
“Sometimes, we get stuck in the day-to-day and don’t pay attention to how nice it is here,” Denton added.
“This is a great community and objective observers agree. We should be proud of our community.”
This story was originally published July 21, 2016 at 5:45 PM with the headline "WalletHub ranks O’Fallon as the third best city in Illinois to raise a family."