State place rankings
Best Places in Illinois
Compare places by General Quality score or population. Each place links to its sourced facts, scores, and local summary.
General Quality score
Best overall places
- st
Naperville, IL
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 153,114
- Median home value
- $540,200
- nd
Hinsdale, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 17,573
- Median home value
- $1,053,700
- rd
Wheaton, IL
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 54,065
- Median home value
- $455,700
- th
Buffalo Grove, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 42,812
- Median home value
- $412,300
- th
Hawthorn Woods, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 9,679
- Median home value
- $619,100
- th
Arlington Heights, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 76,216
- Median home value
- $414,500
- th
Elmhurst, IL
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 46,111
- Median home value
- $545,400
- th
Riverwoods, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 3,766
- Median home value
- $800,700
- th
Winnetka, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 12,518
- Median home value
- $1,337,800
- th
Long Grove, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 8,343
- Median home value
- $804,600
- th
Kildeer, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 4,683
- Median home value
- $770,700
- th
Deerfield, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 19,642
- Median home value
- $623,400
- th
Burr Ridge, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 11,179
- Median home value
- $700,400
- th
Lake Forest, IL
City
- General Quality
- Population
- 19,731
- Median home value
- $938,300
- th
Wilmette, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 27,459
- Median home value
- $810,600
- th
Glenview, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 47,711
- Median home value
- $609,600
- th
Schaumburg, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 77,249
- Median home value
- $330,400
- th
Lake Zurich, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 19,868
- Median home value
- $435,300
- th
Libertyville, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 20,701
- Median home value
- $512,000
- th
Northbrook, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 34,744
- Median home value
- $652,300
- st
Kenilworth, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 2,437
- Median home value
- $1,560,300
- nd
Lisle, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 23,432
- Median home value
- $406,800
- rd
Downers Grove, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 50,365
- Median home value
- $449,800
- th
La Grange, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 15,935
- Median home value
- $594,300
- th
Western Springs, IL
Village
- General Quality
- Population
- 13,588
- Median home value
- $739,400
How this list is ranked
Places are ordered by General Quality score. General Quality is a balanced livability composite spanning safety, affordability, healthcare, climate, education, jobs, mobility, outdoors, taxes, and other core factors.
Largest to smallest
Population-ranked places
- st
Chicago, IL
City
- Population
- 2,731,585
- Median home value
- $334,100
- Median rent
- $1,440
- nd
Aurora, IL
City
- Population
- 181,505
- Median home value
- $274,800
- Median rent
- $1,596
- rd
Naperville, IL
City
- Population
- 153,114
- Median home value
- $540,200
- Median rent
- $1,885
- th
Joliet, IL
City
- Population
- 152,241
- Median home value
- $265,800
- Median rent
- $1,276
- th
Rockford, IL
City
- Population
- 147,384
- Median home value
- $129,000
- Median rent
- $985
- th
Elgin, IL
City
- Population
- 115,476
- Median home value
- $273,000
- Median rent
- $1,361
- th
Springfield, IL
City
- Population
- 112,989
- Median home value
- $162,100
- Median rent
- $975
- th
Peoria, IL
City
- Population
- 110,920
- Median home value
- $156,200
- Median rent
- $1,005
- th
Champaign, IL
City
- Population
- 91,195
- Median home value
- $210,900
- Median rent
- $1,123
- th
Waukegan, IL
City
- Population
- 87,940
- Median home value
- $190,900
- Median rent
- $1,205
- th
Cicero, IL
Town
- Population
- 81,858
- Median home value
- $249,400
- Median rent
- $1,154
- th
Bloomington, IL
City
- Population
- 78,804
- Median home value
- $203,300
- Median rent
- $1,050
- th
Schaumburg, IL
Village
- Population
- 77,249
- Median home value
- $330,400
- Median rent
- $1,812
- th
Evanston, IL
City
- Population
- 76,380
- Median home value
- $481,200
- Median rent
- $1,762
- th
Arlington Heights, IL
Village
- Population
- 76,216
- Median home value
- $414,500
- Median rent
- $1,760
- th
Bolingbrook, IL
Village
- Population
- 74,803
- Median home value
- $314,700
- Median rent
- $1,749
- th
Decatur, IL
City
- Population
- 67,884
- Median home value
- $99,600
- Median rent
- $845
- th
Skokie, IL
Village
- Population
- 66,544
- Median home value
- $387,200
- Median rent
- $1,552
- th
Palatine, IL
Village
- Population
- 65,842
- Median home value
- $355,600
- Median rent
- $1,549
- th
Des Plaines, IL
City
- Population
- 58,772
- Median home value
- $335,600
- Median rent
- $1,606
- st
Orland Park, IL
Village
- Population
- 57,954
- Median home value
- $367,200
- Median rent
- $1,440
- nd
Oak Lawn, IL
Village
- Population
- 56,450
- Median home value
- $281,200
- Median rent
- $1,335
- rd
Mount Prospect, IL
Village
- Population
- 55,395
- Median home value
- $397,400
- Median rent
- $1,502
- th
Tinley Park, IL
Village
- Population
- 55,140
- Median home value
- $299,900
- Median rent
- $1,495
- th
Berwyn, IL
City
- Population
- 55,001
- Median home value
- $299,800
- Median rent
- $1,215
How this list is ranked
Places are ordered by their latest available population estimate. Incorporated places and census-designated places are both eligible when they appear in the published location data.
Annual Census population estimates are used where available; ACS place estimates fill coverage gaps.