In its 6th annual survey, Relocate-America.com named Elk Grove Village, Illinois as

one of the top 100 places to live in the United States.

Elk Grove Village rose to the "Top 100" category from thousands of communities that

were nominated for the honor. The recognition was earned following a review of the

special qualities that make Elk Grove Village a special place to live. In addition to its

hometown qualities, communities are compared against education, crime,

employment, housing and other criteria.

Elk Grove Village has a long history of receiving top honors. Last year, Chicago

Magazine ranked Elk Grove Village as "Best Hometown". Elk Grove Village was also

named as one of the top 50 fabulous places in the United States to raise a family, and

US News & World Reports recognized Elk Grove High School as one of the top 96

High Schools in the nation.

In recent years, Elk Grove Village has also received 5 Governor's Hometown Awards;

recognition by the American Public Works Association for best projects; a "Soles and

Spokes" bicycling award; Economic Development awards, Innovation Awards, and

countless other recognitions.

These prestigious national recognitions follow a $10 million effort to enhance

residential areas in the Village. As part of this effort, the Village performed the

following:

As featured in the March, 2003 issue of Chicago Magazine, Elk Grove Village was

rated the Best Hometown when compared to other communities with similar priced

housing. Of the 192 communities evaluated by the study, Elk Grove Village was 1 of

only 5 suburbs to receive the highest rating in its class.

Rankings were established on the basis of the following: health and safety, housing,

transportation, leisure, and schools. For comparison, the following list shows how

Elk Grove's score of 112 compared to neighboring communities:

This ranking follows Elk Grove Village's previous listing as one of the national

"Fifty Fabulous Places to Raise a Family".

Elk Grove Village residents have long bragged that they live in the Camelot of the

Northwest suburbs.

That claim has been bolstered by the second edition of "50 Fabulous Places to

Raise Your Family" -- a guide book for those considering moving or relocating.

Elk Grove Village and west suburban St. Charles are the only Illinois communities

to make the list. They bumped Buffalo Grove and Wheaton, which were listed in

the first edition.

Other Midwestern cities on the new list include Indianapolis, Ind., Eden Prairie and

Rochester, Minn., Columbia, Mo. and Green Bay, Wis.

"It's nice to be recognized," said Village Manager Gary Parrin. "We know that Elk

Grove is the exceptional community. It's nice to know that other people recognize it."

The book cites Elk Grove Village's access to transportation, low taxes, varied housing

stock, parks and recreation, schools, low crime rate, "exceptional community

service and small-town atmosphere."

St. Charles is cited for its schools, location along the Fox River and for being "a

community with traditional values...(and) a great family-focused community."

Midwestern winters are drawbacks to life in either suburb, as is Elk Grove Village's

current lack of "social spots for teenagers," the book said. The new Grove Mall

"should remedy this problem" the book said.

The Elk Grove Park District was singled out for its programs and facilities. "The

crown jewel of Elk Grove is its 110,000-square-foot Pavilion," which won a design

award from Athletic Business magazine, the book said.

"It's nice to be recognized for what we attempt to do for our community in general,"

said Steve Partman, president of the Park District Board of Commissioners.

Quality of schools, health care, recreational facilities and housing costs were among

the criteria for communities to be listed as one of the nation's 50 fabulous places,

said author Melissa Giovagnoli.

Giovagnoli, a business consultant who lives in Schaumburg, personally visited 20

towns on the list and relied on referrals to select the rest.

A member of the National Speakers' Bureau, she polled her fellow speakers and

checked out any town mentioned three times or more.

Her personal experiences as a 14-year resident of the Northwest suburbs didn't

hurt Elk Grove Village and St. Charles when the final cut was made, she said

"Most importantly, the sense of community is there in Elk Grove," she said. "Everyone

is looking for a sense of connection today, and they really met that."

Also among Elk Grove Village's merits, as listed in the book:

Buffalo Grove, which made the first edition's list, merited an honorable mention this

time -- in the Elk Grove chapter, under "Nearby areas to consider."

Buffalo Grove was noted for its schools, parks and recreational system,neighborhoods

and access to transportation and shopping.