The Wheaton City Council reviewed the results of the 2025 Community Satisfaction Survey, conducted by ETC Institute in May and June. The anonymous survey gathered feedback from a random sample of Wheaton households to better understand residents’ perceptions of the City and to help guide future planning and decision-making.

Residents expressed high satisfaction with City services overall, showing significant improvements since the last survey. The most notable gains were in areas prioritized in the City’s Strategic Plan—stormwater management, police community engagement, and the upkeep of streets and sidewalks.

The full survey report is available at wheaton.il.us/2025CommunitySurvey, and key findings are summarized below.

“We are proud of the high level of services the City of Wheaton provides through careful planning, fiscal management and the hard work of City staff – and these survey results reflect that we’re on the right path,” said Wheaton Mayor Phil Suess. “We appreciate the time each participant took to provide feedback. It will help guide us as we continue working to maintain and improve upon all the elements that make Wheaton a desirable community to live in, work or visit.”

To provide context, ETC Institute compared Wheaton’s results with its 2014 survey and with national benchmarks.

Review the results in various categories, below:

  • Overall Satisfaction: Wheaton residents rated satisfaction higher than the U.S. average in all 46 areas measured. Respondents rated the quality of City services at 95.3%, compared to the national average of 49.0%.
  • Compared to 2014: Satisfaction increased in 45 of the 53 service areas evaluated.
  • Significant Gains (more than 20% from 2014 to 2025):
    • Stormwater management effectiveness: +27.3%
    • Street and sidewalk maintenance: +27.0%
    • Police community engagement and safety programs: +21.2%
    • Use of social media and technology to inform residents: +34.4%
  • Value for Tax Dollars: The percentage of residents “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the value received for City tax dollars rose from 53.0% in 2014 to 70.6% in 2025.

“Feedback from residents on how well the City is serving their needs is imperative,” said City Manager Michael Dzugan. “We want to ensure that the services we’re providing meet the community’s expectations and that we’re dedicating resources in line with what the community wants.”

The survey also acts as a compass for ongoing improvements. It identified traffic flow and congestion management as a top priority for future investment, as residents ranked this issue high in importance but a bit lower in satisfaction.

About the Survey

ETC Institute mailed a five-page survey to randomly selected Wheaton households, with the option to respond by mail or online. A total of 601 responses were received, representing a 95% confidence level and a ±4% margin of error. Additionally, the City invited all residents to participate online. These supplemental responses were collected separately and included as an addendum to the final report.