Best places to live in Illinois (2026)

All 40 ranked places in Illinois, by all-round score. 1 other place without FBI crime data is on the places list.

Ranked by an all-round score: the average of all 14 quality scores (housing costs, taxes, jobs, healthcare, education, family life, safety, natural disasters, climate and more), weighted equally. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out, since their safety is unknown. Scores are out of 100.

1. 1Skokie, ILSuburb · 3-bed $442k · safe74
2. 2Evanston, ILSuburb · 3-bed $542k · very safe73
3. 3Elmhurst, ILSuburb · 3-bed $542k · very safe72
4. 4Bolingbrook, ILSuburb · 3-bed $330k · very safe71
5. 5Glenview, ILSuburb · 3-bed $587k · very safe71
6. 6Bartlett, ILSuburb · 3-bed $400k · very safe71
7. 7Buffalo Grove, ILSuburb · 3-bed $431k · very safe71
8. 8Downers Grove, ILSuburb · 3-bed $487k · very safe70
9. 9Wheaton, ILSuburb · 3-bed $436k · very safe70
10. 10Lombard, ILSuburb · 3-bed $405k · very safe69
11. 11Mount Prospect, ILSuburb · 3-bed $443k · very safe69
12. 12Palatine, ILSuburb · 3-bed $406k · very safe68
13. 13Arlington Heights, ILSuburb · 3-bed $472k · very safe68
14. 14Aurora, ILMid-size city · 3-bed $320k · very safe68
15. 15Des Plaines, ILSuburb · 3-bed $393k · very safe68
16. 16Schaumburg, ILSuburb · 3-bed $404k · very safe67
17. 17Hoffman Estates, ILSuburb · 3-bed $386k · very safe67
18. 18Plainfield, ILSuburb · 3-bed $371k · very safe66
19. 19Romeoville, ILSuburb · 3-bed $313k · very safe64
20. 20Tinley Park, ILSuburb · 3-bed $349k · very safe64
21. 21Crystal Lake, ILSuburb · 3-bed $351k · very safe63
22. 22Orland Park, ILSuburb · 3-bed $406k · very safe62
23. 23Berwyn, ILSuburb · 3-bed $317k · very safe62
24. 24Oak Park, ILSuburb · 3-bed $523k · safe61
25. 25Elgin, ILSuburb · 3-bed $336k · very safe61
26. 26Oak Lawn, ILSuburb · 3-bed $321k · very safe60
27. 27Cicero, ILSuburb · 3-bed $277k · safe60
28. 28Waukegan, ILSuburb · 3-bed $253k · safe59
29. 29Chicago, ILMajor city · 3-bed $354k · higher crime59
30. 30Joliet, ILSuburb · 3-bed $285k · safe55
31. 31Belleville, ILSuburb · 3-bed $183k · moderate crime54
32. 32DeKalb, ILSmall city · 3-bed $232k · moderate crime53
33. 33Bloomington, ILCollege town · 3-bed $235k · safe48
34. 34Normal, ILCollege town · 3-bed $250k · very safe48
35. 35Champaign, ILCollege town · 3-bed $229k · higher crime47
36. 36Moline, ILSmall city · 3-bed $153k · moderate crime47
37. 37Rockford, ILMid-size city · 3-bed $192k · higher crime45
38. 38Springfield, ILMid-size city · 3-bed $194k · higher crime45
39. 39Peoria, ILMid-size city · 3-bed $152k · higher crime43
40. 40Decatur, ILSmall city · 3-bed $139k · moderate crime42

Cheapest places to live in Illinois

Ranked by the typical value of a 3-bedroom home (Zillow), lowest first.

1. 1Decatur, ILSmall city · rent $1,380/mo · cost of living 88$139k
2. 2Peoria, ILMid-size city · rent $1,350/mo · cost of living 91$152k
3. 3Moline, ILSmall city · rent $1,500/mo · cost of living 89$153k
4. 4Belleville, ILSuburb · rent $1,570/mo · cost of living 95$183k
5. 5Rockford, ILMid-size city · rent $1,560/mo · cost of living 92$192k

Safest places to live in Illinois

Ranked by violent crimes per resident in FBI 2019 data, lowest first. Places missing from the FBI table are left out.

1. 1Buffalo Grove, ILSuburb · violent crime 0.07× the US rate27 per 100k
2. 2Tinley Park, ILSuburb · violent crime 0.1× the US rate39 per 100k
3. 3Arlington Heights, ILSuburb · violent crime 0.1× the US rate44 per 100k
4. 4Orland Park, ILSuburb · violent crime 0.1× the US rate44 per 100k
5. 5Mount Prospect, ILSuburb · violent crime 0.1× the US rate54 per 100k

Safest places from natural disasters in Illinois

Ranked by our natural disaster score: FEMA's expected deaths, injuries and home damage from 18 hazards, plus federally declared disasters in the county since 2000.

1. 1Waukegan, IL4 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, cold waves83
2. 2Crystal Lake, IL2 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, tornadoes82
3. 3Lombard, IL4 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, cold waves77
4. 4Aurora, IL4 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, cold waves76
5. 5Bartlett, IL4 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, cold waves76

Best places to live for families in Illinois

Ranked by a family score: the average of our Kids & family, Safety, Education and Affordable housing scores. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out.

1. 1Bartlett, ILSuburb · kids excellent · safety excellent · 3-bed $400k86
2. 2Buffalo Grove, ILSuburb · kids excellent · safety excellent · 3-bed $431k86
3. 3Elmhurst, ILSuburb · kids excellent · safety excellent · 3-bed $542k84
4. 4Bolingbrook, ILSuburb · kids excellent · safety excellent · 3-bed $330k83
5. 5Hoffman Estates, ILSuburb · kids excellent · safety excellent · 3-bed $386k83

Best places to live · Cheapest places to live · Safest places to live · Safest places from natural disasters · Best places to live for families

Data: US Census, Zillow, HUD, BEA, FBI 2019, FEMA, NOAA, NASA, CMS, NCES and others. How scores work.