Celebrating the Best in Governance: Economy Award Winners

Economic vitality is one of the most visible signs of a thriving community. From bustling main streets to opportunities for residents across generations, the local economy reflects both private initiative and effective public leadership.

The Best in Governance Awards in the area of Economy draw on two complementary lenses: resident feedback from National Community Survey (NCS) and national indicators from Polco’s Government Performance Action and Learning (GPAL) platform. Together, these measures provide a powerful picture of how communities are fostering strong, inclusive, and resilient economies by combining what residents experience day to day with public data on economic strength.

Voice of the People Award: Residents’ Perspective

The Voice of the People Award celebrates communities where residents themselves report exceptional economic conditions. High ratings reflect pride in vibrant downtowns, satisfaction with local businesses and services, confidence in employment opportunities, and overall optimism about economic health. These winners show that when residents experience opportunity and vibrancy every day, it is a clear marker of effective governance.

Community Impact Award: Data-Driven Excellence

The Community Impact Award recognizes communities that demonstrate measurable strength across a range of economic resilience and equity indicators. While the measures span areas such as income stability, workforce participation, and equitable access to opportunity, the common thread is clear: these local governments are cultivating economies that work for all residents - not just a few.

🏆Top Performers for Economy

Excellence - Voice of the People

• City of Franklin, Tennessee
• City of Milton, Georgia
• Township of Schaumburg, Illinois
• Village of Schaumburg, Illinois
• City of Scottsdale, Arizona

Transformation - Voice of the People

• City of Hastings, Minnesota
• City of Kingman, Arizona
• Alamos County, New Mexico
• City of Rio Rancho, New Mexico
• Town of Wendell, North Carolina

Excellence - Community Impact

• City and County of Broomfield, Colorado
• Loudoun County, Virginia
• Borough of Mountain Lakes, New Jersey
• City of Rogers, Minnesota
• Union County, Ohio

Why It Matters

Healthy local economies do not happen by chance. They are the result of strategic choices, such as investments in business climate, workforce readiness, affordability, and fairness, that benefit residents today while building resilience for tomorrow.

By pairing resident feedback with objective measures, the Best in Governance: Economy Awards highlight the communities leading the way. Congratulations to this year’s winners for fostering economic vitality and proving that good governance is good economics.

What’s Next

The communities listed as Top Performers in each category represent the very best in fostering economic vitality. 

🎉 The National Champions for each category will be announced live at the ICMA Annual Conference in October in Tampa, Florida.

👏 Congratulations to all of this year’s Top Performers! We’re honored to showcase your leadership in building stronger, smarter, and more connected communities. Visit our awards page for more information about Best in Governance Awards.