2016/04/25 - Walter's Blog: O'Fallon: A Great Story to Tell
April 25, 2016
With all of the negative attention the St. Louis media directed at the Metro East during the National Geospatial Agency (NGA) selection process, one might conclude that everyone over here in Illinois is a hillbilly farmer in the midst of cornfields and soybeans. Fortunately, there are others who have discovered O’Fallon for the wonderful community that it is. O’Fallon was recently ranked as the third best city in Illinois to raise a family. You would think the NGA would find that beneficial for their employees.
That ranking is no fluke. O’Fallon has been rated by numerous organizations and websites as a top community in Illinois and in the nation:
- Named the 5th best city for Illinois Families in 2016 by WalletHub.
- Ranked as the 2nd best city in Illinois for young families in 2013.
- Ranked the 103rd overall best small city in America and 30th in education and health out of 1,268 cities with a population between 25,000 and 100,000 by WalletHub.
- Ranked as the 5th happiest city in Illinois by CreditDonkey, based on restaurants, crime levels, commute time, and household income.
- Ranked one of the top communities in Illinois for homeownership, and the 18th best community in America 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.
When I first moved to O’Fallon, I 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. That says a lot to me about the appeal and value of our humble community.
We have a great story to tell in O’Fallon and I believe our best years are still ahead. We will soon have two state-of-the-art hospitals 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 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.