Naperville Population Moves a Bit

Naperville is a city of transferees - so the story goes.One-third of the people transfer every three years. But thougheveryone seems to have heard this story, no one has figures tosubstantiate it.

Builder C. Cass Collins of Springwood Homes, a long-timeNaperville resident, said "Naperville is a very active transfereetown. There is a lot of middle management. People stay four to sixyears and then move on."

Collins said the research corridor on Interstate 88 is whatdraws so many people to the city and then causes them to move.

Problems are created by the transient lives of residents,Collins said. "A lot don't get involved in the community, which is asad thing. In elections, a small minority goes to the polls.(Results) may not mecessarily reflect the opinion of the people wholive here. But, Collins added, there are also a lot of people whohave lived in Naperville a long time.

Whether it's because people are moving out or up, CherylKrakenberger, of the Du Page Association of Realtors, said homes inNaperville sold in 57.63 days in 1992 compared with an average of 64days in 1991. There were fewer units sold in 1992 (2,285) comparedwith 1991 (2,315), but prices were higher. The mean price in 1992was $200,376, compared with $189,917 in 1991, she said.

Naperville's chief planner, Robert Kallien, said there are nofigures on transferees. "It is a perception I think is overstated."Kallien said the figure bandied about is that people live inNaperville between two to nine years.

Jane Franz, a resident of the Brighton Ridge subdivision since1987, said her next-door neighbor just moved back to Michigan on atransfer, and certain homes in her area have been on the market threeor four times in the six years she has lived there. "I don't know ifit is because they are transferring, though."

Ned Becker, a resident of the city for 22 years andtransportation director and city engineer, said he hears the averagestay in Naperville is three years.

"I'm not sure how much we can attribute to transferees," saidSchool Dist. 204 Asst. Supt. Howard Crouse, "but there is 15percent to 35 percent mobility in the schools each year."