Each year, Polco is proud to celebrate local governments with the Best in Governance Awards — the nation's only awards program honoring communities for both resident experience and measurable outcomes. These awards shine a light on the jurisdictions that stand out as the most effective, innovative, and community-centered across the country, as measured through national data.
We're continuing our series recognizing the Top Performers across essential areas of community livability. Today, we're spotlighting the Economy category.
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 for Economy draw on two complementary lenses: resident feedback from the National Community Survey (The NCS) and national indicators from Polco's Government Performance Action & Lab (GPAL) platform. Together, these measures provide a powerful picture of how communities are fostering strong, inclusive, and resilient economies — combining what residents experience day to day with public data on economic strength.
Because Economy is measured through both lenses, this year's honorees are recognized across three groups: Community Impact — Excellence highlights the top performers on measurable, public-data outcomes; Voice of the People — Excellence recognizes the communities with the highest resident ratings nationwide; and Voice of the People — Transformation celebrates those that achieved the biggest improvements in resident ratings over time.
The communities recognized as Top Performers represent the very best in building strong, inclusive, and resilient local economies. The National Champions in each category will be announced in October.
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 Polco's Best in Governance Awards.