Downers is a Friendly Town

Downers Grove, IL Population: 48,163 Downers Grove Named 8th Friendliest Town in America by Forbes Magazine A new study has ranked Downers Grove among the friendliest communities in the United States. Forbes Magazine recently teamed up with Nextdoor.com, a San Francisco-based social network for neighborhoods, to assess 500 small metro areas with populations between 5,500 and 150,000. Their findings, published Thursday on Forbes.com, ranked America's friendliest towns based on four data points: percentage of owner-occupied homes, crime rate, charitable giving and and the percentage of college graduates. Downers Grove ranked No. 8, joining communities like Seal Beach, CA; Huntington Woods, MI; and Hamilton, NY. Located about 25 miles outside of Chicago, this Midwestern suburb peddles more than 140 community events and festivals. About 80% of residents own their own homes and the population is highly educated. In addition to a boutique and restaurant-filled downtown, this suburb has about 600 acres of parks and green space. On Saturdays during the summer, neighbors partake in a farmers' market and auto enthusiasts gather on Friday nights for an informal classic car show.

What a wonderful honor for our hometown. It almost makes me homesick!