How the village of Morton became a destination for upscale home buyers

Of the 10 most expensive homes sold last month in Tazewell County, seven had addresses in Morton. The village of about 17,000 people — located just outside Peoria — also had the county’s single most expensive home sale in 2023, as well as the county's only home to sell for more than $1 million.

How did Morton become the popular choice for upscale home buyers?

What do home buyers want in a community?

Bill McCarthy, a realtor with Coldwell Banker Real Estate Group and president of the Peoria Area Association of Realtors, said a desirable community begins with good infrastructure. Prospective residents want good roads, parks, safe neighborhoods and a strong education system — all found in Morton.

Morton home prices: The 10 places around Peoria with the fastest-growing home prices

“Schools always play a big part," McCarthy said, "especially for families."

Easy access to highways and convenience to urban amenities also seem to play a key role in attracting new residents, he said. Morton is located just off Interstate 74 — 10 miles from Peoria and 30 miles from the Bloomington-Normal metroplex.

Those working around Peoria already target Morton as a destination, while “Bloomington buyers are starting to gravitate toward that area because of the availability of homes there,” McCarthy said.

Residents need residences

A community like Morton cannot attract upscale home buyers unless there are upscale homes on the market.

Morton has been developing quality subdivisions over the last two decades, which draws in families, according to Brad Schrock, president of Allen Schrock Builders. The company has built homes in most of the village’s subdivisions, and Schrock said quality neighborhoods foster community pride.

Subdivisions like Wolf Crossing and Hyde Park seem to "hit the mark" in drawing new residents, he said. “There are some nice, wooded lots," he said, "and it’s easy to get to Peoria from just down the hill."

Morton Mayor Jeff Kaufman said the village emphasizes zoning and code enforcement, which ensures properties are well-maintained. That makes both their residential neighborhoods and businesses attractive to buyers.

What does Morton offer?

High-quality homes bring prospective buyers to Morton, but inevitably many of them dig deeper.

Morton native Bridget Wood, now the Morton Chamber of Commerce's marketing and communications manager, said new residents will find plenty of business and recreation — beyond the iconic fall Pumpkin Festival held annually in the so-called Pumpkin Capital of the World.

“Growing up in Morton, I've come to truly value the unique blend of small-town charm and the plentiful amenities,” Wood said. “When I was a student at Morton High School, the opportunities and social involvement set me up for success in my adult life.

"I now get to be a bigger piece of the community I grew up in and am very passionate about the continuing success of our small businesses and community events.”

Wood believes the chamber, the village and its economic development council, and the Morton Community Foundation have teamed to create a business-friendly environment. The Morton Park District adds well-maintained parks, playgrounds, sports fields, and biking and walking trails. Kaufman said Morton’s disc golf courses are among the best in the United States. Morton hosted the 2024 Professional Disc Golf Association championships last month, attracting players from across the U.S. and other countries.

Public safety, of course, is a key element to any community’s success. Morton's crime rate is well below the state average and better than most Illinois municipalities its size, according to bestplaces.net, which interprets and compares crime data from the FBI.

“We have professionally trained staff and up-to-date equipment that provide great service to our citizens,” Kaufman said. “This helps ensure a safe environment to raise a family and to live comfortably for our citizens.”

Kaufman even shouted out the village's Public Works Department, which he said provides timely road maintenance and sidewalk repairs.

What about the school system?

Morton has one of Illinois’ top 50 school districts and its high school is among the best in the Peoria area. The review site niche.com recently awarded Morton Community Unit School District 709 a letter grade of “A,” and ranked the district 44th out of 646 in Illinois. Morton High School also was ranked No. 5 in the Peoria area, according to recent data from U.S. News & World Report. Morton also has two parochial grade schools.

Morton schools: These are the top ranked Peoria-area high schools, according to new report

“Our schools enjoy the advantage of having supportive parents who really care about their kids' education, and they hold both the schools and their children to very high academic expectations,” Morton superintendent Craig Schrock said. “We have an incredibly caring and effective faculty, staff and administration. Our board of education serves our district very selflessly and holds our schools accountable to our taxpayers.”

Schrock said Morton schools work to be innovative and promote initiatives outside of the classroom, but said education is just one of many reasons for Morton's success.

“With our excellent village government, our library, our park district, and all of the services and businesses that we enjoy," he said, "Morton is an enjoyable, clean, and safe place to raise a family."

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Morton, Illinois, has become destination for upscale home buyers