By Patrick Ferrell
PFERRELL@SCN1.COM

BOLINGBROOK – The village received nationwide attention this week when the August edition of Money Magazine named it to its 2008 top 100 Places to Live in the United States list.

Bolingbrook comes in at No. 32. It joins four other Illinois cities on the list: Naperville (No. 3), Wheaton (No. 54), Aurora (No.74) and Orland Park (No. 92).

“Not too many places near Chicago can go by ‘village’ anymore, but Bolingbrook claims the title proudly,” the magazine writes. “It’s a relatively new suburb of Chicago, having been incorporated only in 1965. Since then, growth has exploded – so much so that Ikea brought its second Illinois location here three years ago.

“An open-air mall, The Promenade Bolingbrook, also opened here last year. What’s more, Clow International Airport, owned by the village for public use, is slated for expansion.

Comparison factors

The magazine compares 44 indicators – ranging from median family income to sales tax rates and the number of movie theatres within 15 miles to racial diversity indexes – against averages for the other 99 best places.

When compared to the best places average, the village has 167 more restaurants within 15 miles, 32 extra bars within 15 miles and 147 more public golf courses within 30 miles.

While the diabetes rate in Bolingbrook is 0.6 percent higher than the average, the hypertension rate is 0.8 percent lower than average, and the percent of residents with a health plan is 0.8 percent higher, according to the magazine.

Particularly noteworthy for Mayor Roger Claar is the village racial diversity index, which stands at 188.3, compared to 104.2 for other top cities and 100 for the country.

“We have a tremendously diverse community of different races, religions and nationalities,” Claar said. “That’s really a strong selling point. We’re really a cross-section of America, and I know a lot of people stay here for that reason.”

In addition to Naperville being named No. 3, the magazine’s Top 10 are: Plymouth, Minn.; Fort Collins, Colo.; Irvine, Calif.; Franklin Township, N.J.; Norman, Okla., Round Rock, Texas; Columbia/Ellicott City, Md.; Overland Park, Kan.; and Fishers, Ind.