The 10 Best Places To Live In Illinois For 2025


The best places to live in Illinois for 2025 are Western Springs, Deerfield, and Hinsdale. Find out where your city or town ranks.

It’s easy to assume the best place to live in Illinois is Chicago.

But we don’t assume, we rely on the cold, hard data.

To find the best places to live in Illinois, we analyzed the most recent data from the Census, FBI, and Zillow using Saturday Night Science. We measured factors central to a high quality of life – home prices, a strong job market, and low crime to name a few.

Now grab a slice of deep-dish pizza and pop, and continue to dive deeper into the best places to live in Illinois.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Table | Map | Methodology | Summary


What city is the best place to live in Illinois for 2025? The best place to live in Illinois is Western Springs.

Most every place on this list is a Northern suburb of Chicago.

While not everyone can afford to live in the top ten best Illinois cities — they come with a hefty Hinsdale price tag — there are other unique places in Illinois to call home.

And lucky for you, we have found them.

For more reading, check out:

The 10 Best Places To Live In Illinois For 2025

Best Places To Live In Illinois Map

Western Springs, IL

Source: Wikipedia User MrHarman | GFDL
Stat Western Springs Illinois
Population 13,353 12,692,653
Rank Last Year 1
Median Home Value $691,300 $250,500
Median Income $218,839 $81,702
Unemployment Rate 2.6% 5.8%
Crime Per Capita 0.0027 0.0201

More on Western Springs: Data

Located between Chicago and Naperville, Western Springs is the best place to live in Illinois. Western Springs’ poverty level of 2.0% and unemployment rate of 2.6% are among the most impressive in the state. It’s not like people are just floating by here either, because at $218,839/year, Western Springs enjoys the 7th highest median household income statewide. And if you enjoy a side of culture with your cash, the Theatre of Western Springs is always putting on shows and plays.

Western Springs is also known for its excellent schools and safe streets. In fact, there were only 1 violent crimes committed in Western Springs in 2025, which gives Western Springs the 8th lowest rate in Illinois. Even though violence is quite unlikely, Western Springs residents are prepared if it does come. That’s because 98.5% of folks in Western Springs have health insurance, which is the 18th highest rate in Illinois.

Deerfield, IL

Source: Wikipedia User Shsilver at English Wikipedia | CC BY 3.0 us
Stat Deerfield Illinois
Population 19,185 12,692,653
Rank Last Year 3
Median Home Value $608,600 $250,500
Median Income $189,705 $81,702
Unemployment Rate 2.4% 5.8%
Crime Per Capita 0.0053 0.0201

More on Deerfield: Data

We start our tour of the best places to call home in Illinois with Deerfield, a North Shore suburb of Chicago. Deerfield ranks as the 23rd least violent place in the state and has a total crime rate about 70% below the national average.

Deerfield’s economy is largely driven by the healthcare industry, as it is home to the headquarters of big name companies like Walgreens, Baxter, and Takeda Pharmaceuticals. If you’re working in one of those fields, you should have no trouble locking down a job here. And based on Deerfield’s rank as the 13th best-paid populace in the state, with a median household income of $189,705/year, we think you should do pretty well for yourself at that job. And with a sub-3% unemployment rate and poverty level, Deerfield’s economy is working at every level. For a village where healthcare looms large, it’s not surprising that 98.8% of residents have health insurance, one of the highest rates in Illinois.

If you’re planning on moving with your family, or starting a family soon, know that Deerfield’s school district is among the best in the state, with GreatSchools awarding a 9/10 score or higher to every single public school in the area. Speaking of education, the local Historic Village is a staple of the Deerfield school experience that’s fun for the whole family. But if you’re looking for something a tad bit more modern, “The Square” in Deerfield’s downtown has everything you need to keep your shopaholism satisfied.

Hinsdale, IL

Source: Wikipedia User Teemu08 at English Wikipedia | CC BY-SA 3.0
Stat Hinsdale Illinois
Population 17,155 12,692,653
Rank Last Year 2
Median Home Value $999,100 $250,500
Median Income $250,001 $81,702
Unemployment Rate 2.7% 5.8%
Crime Per Capita 0.0037 0.0201

More on Hinsdale: Data

We’re sticking around western Chi-Town suburbs for our 3rd best place to call home in Illinois, the village of Hinsdale. People in Hinsdale know the importance of education, from start to finish. All the elementary schools in Hinsdale received a score of 9/10 from GreatSchools, and both the local middle school and high school got a perfect 10/10. That educational excellence is just one of the reasons we named Hinsdale as the best family city in Illinois. Seeing as over 40% of Hinsdale’s population has a master’s degree or higher, we think the success of early education carries over nicely into success later in life.

After all, Hinsdale does have the 2nd highest median household income in the state, $250,001/year. Which comes in handy when you’ve also got the 3rd priciest homes. And since smart, moneyed individuals rarely feel the need to engage in criminal activity, Hinsdale’s crime rate being about 80% below the national average makes a lot of sense.

If you’re craving a bit more action, though, Chicago’s downtown is just 20-minute train ride away, so you can be walking The Magnificent Mile any time you like.

Winnetka, IL

Source: Wikipedia User anarchosyn | CC BY-SA 2.0
Stat Winnetka Illinois
Population 12,508 12,692,653
Rank Last Year 15
Median Home Value $1,206,300 $250,500
Median Income $250,001 $81,702
Unemployment Rate 2.3% 5.8%
Crime Per Capita 0.0062 0.0201

More on Winnetka: Data

We know we’ve been touting the wealth of some of the other communities on this list, but none of them holds a candle to Winnetka. Homes in Winnetka go for around $1,206,300, the 2nd costliest in the state. If you want to buy the Home Alone house, it might set you back a bit more. That’s okay though, because Winnetka also has the 2nd highest median household income statewide at $250,001/year. With these kind of numbers, it’s not hard to see why we named Winnetka one of the richest places in Illinois.

Folks in Winnetka didn’t coincidentally end up in big homes with big salaries. Over 45% of residents have a master’s degree, PhD, or professional degree, so you’re looking at the result of years of hard work here. And it’s paid off for the whole community, which enjoys an unemployment rate and poverty level under 3%. Residents can spend their hard-earned free time fishing, kayaking, or hiking at Skokie Lagoons.

Lincolnshire, IL

Source: Public domain
Stat Lincolnshire Illinois
Population 7,937 12,692,653
Rank Last Year 7
Median Home Value $625,800 $250,500
Median Income $179,735 $81,702
Unemployment Rate 1.5% 5.8%
Crime Per Capita 0.0066 0.0201

More on Lincolnshire: Data

Lincolnshire is a 7,937 town located about 30 miles north of Chicago. One of the smallest places on this list, Lincolnshire punches above its weight in quality of life. The small town life includes the Marriott Theatre, mini-golf for the kids and real golf for the adults, and Spring Lake Park for the whole family. It’s the kind of great place to raise a family near the city without having to be in the city.

In terms of the numbers, Adlai E Stevenson High School earns a perfect 10/10 on GreatSchools. There’s a very low poverty rate, the cost of living isn’t crazy high, and incomes average about 179,735. Put it all together and you have a great place to live in Illinois.

Libertyville, IL

Source: Wikipedia User Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois | CC BY-SA 2.0
Stat Libertyville Illinois
Population 20,493 12,692,653
Rank Last Year 6
Median Home Value $499,300 $250,500
Median Income $162,270 $81,702
Unemployment Rate 2.9% 5.8%
Crime Per Capita 0.0067 0.0201

More on Libertyville: Data

Next on our tour of the best places to live in Illinois is Libertyville. Libertyville is a city of 20,493 about 40 miles north of Chicago near the Wisconsin border. Why is Libertyville such a good place to live? Well it’s safe and clean, and that’s not something you can say about a lot of the greater Chicago area. People living here say it’s a walker’s paradise – with all the restaurants and shops that are easy to get to and enjoy.

As you would expect, the overall cost of living is high, but not that high for being so close Chicago. Homes in Libertyville are listed for about $499,300 each. And when you consider this place is so close to Chicago and that most families here bring in about 162,270, this is actually kind of a good deal.

Plus, it’s a great place to raise a family. Over 30% of adults have a master’s degree or higher and the local schools have the 12th lowest high school dropout rate. On top of that, there’s Adler Memorial Park and Butler Lake Park to take the kids on the weekend.

Northfield, IL

Source: Wikipedia User 123dieinafire of English Wikipedia | CC BY 3.0
Stat Northfield Illinois
Population 5,683 12,692,653
Rank Last Year 16
Median Home Value $807,700 $250,500
Median Income $180,492 $81,702
Unemployment Rate 2.0% 5.8%
Crime Per Capita 0.0107 0.0201

More on Northfield: Data

Clarendon Hills, IL

Source: Wikipedia User David Wilson | CC BY 2.0
Stat Clarendon Hills Illinois
Population 8,642 12,692,653
Rank Last Year 17
Median Home Value $595,500 $250,500
Median Income $125,826 $81,702
Unemployment Rate 2.8% 5.8%
Crime Per Capita 0.0054 0.0201

More on Clarendon Hills: Data

Next up is Clarendon Hills, a neighbor of Hinsdale and a southwestern suburb of Chicago. Clarendon Hills has an insanely low unemployment rate of 2.8%, the 49th lowest in Illinois. It also has a 10/10 SnackAbility score for education and a 9/10 for safety. That’s thanks to Clarendon Hills’ highly-rated schools and having the 38th lowest rate of crime statewide.

The median household income in Clarendon Hills is $125,826/year, the 48th highest in Illinois. However, with home prices at $595,500, Clarendon Hills is one of the least affordable spots on this list. At least you won’t have to pay big for access to family-friendly activities, because Clarendon Hills has a different park for every day of the week.

La Grange Park, IL

Source: Flickr User davidwilson1949 | CC BY 2.0
Stat La Grange Park Illinois
Population 13,227 12,692,653
Rank Last Year 14
Median Home Value $427,800 $250,500
Median Income $119,115 $81,702
Unemployment Rate 3.2% 5.8%
Crime Per Capita 0.0079 0.0201

More on La Grange Park: Data

La Grange Park is our final Cook County representative on this list, meaning more than half the best places to live in Illinois can be found in this county. LGP is the most densely populated place on this list and the 22nd most densely populated in the state, so if you like the hustle and bustle, La Grange Park might just be your jam. And it’s not like all this activity comes with crime, because La Grange Park has the 83rd lowest crime rate in Illinois, about 80% lower than the statewide average.

The fact that La Grange Park has the lowest median household income on this list at $119,115/year should give you a fair idea of the commonality between places on this list; namely, wealth. In any case, we think it’s pretty cool that, from La Grange Park, you can be exploring peaceful and undisturbed nature along the Salt Creek Trail System or find yourself in a crowd of 40,000 at Wrigley Field within a half hour.

Wheaton, IL

Source: Wikipedia User Katherine Johnson from Springfield, IL | CC BY 2.0
Stat Wheaton Illinois
Population 53,453 12,692,653
Rank Last Year 11
Median Home Value $447,700 $250,500
Median Income $119,566 $81,702
Unemployment Rate 3.5% 5.8%
Crime Per Capita 0.0049 0.0201

More on Wheaton: Data

Mapping The Best And Worst Places To Live in Illinois

Best Places To Live In Illinois Size Requirement

Before we even started to collect data on the best places to live in Illinois, we had to answer a tough question: Is it fair to pit Springfield, with a population of 113,714, against places with a population of 18?

We firmly decided no, that just isn’t fair.

So, to create our ranking, we broke the best places to live into three tiers:

  • Cities — Populations over 5,000
  • Towns — Populations between 1,000 and 5,000
  • Small Towns — Populations below 1,000

This filter left 323 cities, 376 towns, and 620 small towns.

We then decided no matter how much anyone loves their town, the best cities to live in Illinois have more of everything, and therefore, you need over 5,000 people to truly be ‘the best.’

Methodology: How We Calculated The Best Cities To Live In Illinois

Now that we had our set of the best possible cities, it was time to rank them using Saturday Night Science.

We ranked each place in Illinois across a number of criteria from one to 323, with one being the best.

We then took the average rank across all criteria, crowning the city posting the lowest overall score, the “Best Place To Live In Illinois.”

The criteria we looked to determine the best places were:

  • Median Home Values
  • Median Income
  • Population Density (Higher is better)
  • Unemployment Rate
  • Commute Time
  • Crime
  • Education Levels
  • Health Insurance Coverage
  • Poverty rates

Sources of criteria include the New Census Data, FBI Crime Data, and Zillow. We updated this article for 2025. This report is our tenth time ranking Illinois’s best places to live.

If your city or town isn’t among the top 10, jump down to the bottom of the post to see a detailed chart of the best places in Illinois. Otherwise, buckle up for a ride down good living lane with Western Springs at the end of the cul-de-sac.

Summary: The Best Places In Illinois

If you’re looking at areas in Illinois with the best economic situations, where there’s lower than average crime, and a lot to do, this is an accurate list.

The best places to live in Illinois are Western Springs, Deerfield, Hinsdale, Winnetka, Lincolnshire, Libertyville, Northfield, Clarendon Hills, La Grange Park, and Wheaton.

Western Springs made a strong showing to take in the overall number one spot for the best place to live in Illinois for 2025.

If you’re curious enough, here are the worst places to live in Illinois according to the data:

  1. Riverdale (Pop. 10,515)
  2. Markham (Pop. 11,434)
  3. Harvey (Pop. 19,831)

For more Illinois reading, check out:

Best Places To Live In Illinois Table

Rank City Population Unemployment Rate Home Value Median Income Rent Crime Per Capita
1 Western Springs 13,353 2.6% $691,300 $218,839 $1,932 0.0027
2 Deerfield 19,185 2.4% $608,600 $189,705 $2,345 0.0053
3 Hinsdale 17,155 2.7% $999,100 $250,001 $1,981 0.0037
4 Winnetka 12,508 2.3% $1,206,300 $250,001 $1,750 0.0062
5 Lincolnshire 7,937 1.5% $625,800 $179,735 $2,655 0.0066
6 Libertyville 20,493 2.9% $499,300 $162,270 $1,537 0.0067
7 Northfield 5,683 2.0% $807,700 $180,492 $2,917 0.0107
8 Clarendon Hills 8,642 2.8% $595,500 $125,826 $1,124 0.0054
9 La Grange Park 13,227 3.2% $427,800 $119,115 $1,423 0.0079
10 Wheaton 53,453 3.5% $447,700 $119,566 $1,731 0.0049
11 Winfield 9,982 5.0% $363,400 $143,102 $1,381 0.0035
12 Northbrook 34,642 3.2% $644,100 $155,321 $2,334 0.0114
13 Park Ridge 39,241 3.7% $539,300 $138,059 $1,511 0.0085
14 Buffalo Grove 42,824 2.5% $392,900 $129,820 $2,042 0.0073
15 Wilmette 27,550 4.3% $802,200 $192,300 $1,968 0.0117
16 Inverness 7,541 2.7% $704,100 $215,810 $3,501 0.0029
17 Glencoe 8,715 3.5% $1,354,900 $250,001 $2,097 0.0083
18 La Grange 15,999 2.0% $582,600 $154,556 $1,679 0.0109
19 Geneva 21,299 1.7% $415,800 $136,621 $1,805 0.0094
20 Barrington 11,049 3.4% $580,900 $150,714 $1,886 0.0061
21 South Barrington 5,004 1.7% $986,300 $211,083 $1,917 0.0086
22 Lake Forest 19,190 2.1% $909,800 $228,120 $2,120 0.0071
23 Elmhurst 45,538 4.8% $532,800 $145,374 $1,877 0.0095
24 Mokena 19,906 3.7% $377,100 $129,017 $1,405 0.0071
25 Naperville 149,424 4.2% $509,900 $150,937 $1,852 0.0093
26 Glen Ellyn 28,270 5.8% $522,600 $133,346 $1,326 0.0065
27 Pingree Grove 10,576 3.9% $298,300 $119,880 $1,219 0.0009
28 Lisle 23,413 4.1% $407,000 $106,173 $1,540 0.0055
29 New Lenox 27,456 2.9% $377,500 $133,071 $1,244 0.0093
30 Bartlett 40,531 2.0% $350,500 $130,479 $1,857 0.0043
31 Troy 10,889 2.4% $240,800 $97,825 $1,060 0.0048
32 Palos Heights 11,817 3.5% $350,000 $107,974 $2,138 0.0074
33 Downers Grove 49,867 3.9% $439,000 $119,649 $1,589 0.0094
34 Brookfield 19,235 3.5% $314,000 $108,429 $1,328 0.0005
35 Mount Zion 6,076 2.6% $200,300 $110,786 $696 0.0081
36 Lake Zurich 19,727 3.3% $418,300 $139,959 $1,782 0.0125
37 Frankfort 20,417 3.6% $461,600 $153,714 $2,175 0.0068
38 Manhattan 10,315 1.6% $314,400 $128,375 $1,220 0.0030
39 Hawthorn Woods 9,145 4.3% $592,800 $238,114 $0 0.0011
40 Gilberts 8,389 3.7% $330,100 $119,719 $1,852 0.0023
41 Westchester 16,524 5.4% $297,400 $103,561 $1,767 0.0054
42 Lemont 17,643 4.3% $447,800 $126,100 $1,211 0.0065
43 Burr Ridge 11,119 3.6% $694,800 $154,508 $3,000 0.0084
44 Batavia 26,730 3.5% $358,000 $119,167 $1,255 0.0105
45 Campton Hills 10,724 5.8% $510,100 $192,727 $1,424 0.0000
46 Elburn 6,054 0.5% $358,200 $106,506 $1,705 0.0061
47 Oswego 35,463 2.7% $319,000 $119,881 $1,823 0.0073
48 Arlington Heights 76,220 3.6% $403,200 $118,532 $1,727 0.0099
49 Mahomet 9,755 3.4% $293,200 $114,904 $1,202 0.0047
50 Highland Park 30,229 3.3% $594,400 $161,875 $1,903 0.0236
51 Lake Bluff 5,834 3.4% $739,400 $205,735 $1,826 0.0236
52 Chatham 14,740 3.5% $231,900 $106,030 $1,157 0.0067
53 Itasca 9,525 2.7% $375,600 $111,898 $1,779 0.0065
54 River Forest 11,489 6.8% $676,900 $148,711 $1,411 0.0147
55 Cary 17,875 5.1% $287,000 $109,790 $1,456 0.0048
56 Willow Springs 5,871 5.4% $370,900 $103,429 $1,328 0.0041
57 Shorewood 18,218 5.0% $324,600 $122,648 $2,087 0.0037
58 Glenview 47,682 3.4% $598,800 $138,758 $2,027 0.0171
59 Darien 21,855 3.9% $386,400 $109,354 $1,671 0.0092
60 Vernon Hills 26,772 3.8% $384,800 $120,625 $1,855 0.0151
61 Monticello 6,332 2.2% $196,000 $88,611 $1,030 0.0042
62 Plainfield 45,705 3.7% $398,000 $142,265 $1,889 0.0076
63 Sugar Grove 9,233 4.2% $372,000 $116,250 $1,608 0.0058
64 Algonquin 29,904 4.4% $324,000 $131,753 $1,800 0.0091
65 Lake in the Hills 28,853 6.2% $296,400 $113,491 $1,634 0.0030
66 West Dundee 7,867 3.2% $342,900 $104,750 $1,697 0.0109
67 Columbia 11,063 1.0% $290,100 $107,922 $1,089 0.0133
68 Riverside 9,079 3.3% $460,500 $149,219 $1,435 0.6010
69 Homer Glen 24,516 5.0% $400,000 $128,546 $1,737 0.0028
70 Huntley 27,859 3.5% $318,500 $86,349 $1,385 0.0057
71 Shiloh 14,109 1.9% $276,900 $100,058 $1,098 0.0086
72 Willowbrook 9,138 3.5% $367,000 $97,861 $1,691 0.0148
73 Manteno 8,942 2.8% $241,700 $96,057 $1,072 0.0086
74 Geneseo 6,577 4.6% $196,400 $65,226 $952 0.0094
75 Long Grove 8,266 3.4% $746,700 $235,368 $3,501 0.0236
76 Lockport 26,228 4.9% $298,800 $113,252 $1,503 0.0062
77 Grayslake 20,707 5.7% $293,900 $113,697 $1,434 0.0122
78 Edwardsville 26,543 4.7% $286,700 $92,671 $1,231 0.0061
79 Roselle 22,731 7.7% $318,000 $109,118 $1,496 0.0048
80 Maryville 8,280 7.5% $253,100 $100,813 $987 0.0056
81 Hampshire 8,351 1.8% $316,200 $107,774 $2,356 0.0025
82 Rockton 8,238 2.8% $222,100 $109,333 $864 0.0119
83 O’Fallon 32,139 3.3% $274,100 $102,793 $1,312 0.0143
84 St. Charles 32,733 4.6% $369,700 $115,350 $1,788 0.0120
85 Mount Prospect 55,648 3.6% $377,000 $103,911 $1,454 0.0108
86 Highland 10,268 2.1% $185,800 $77,886 $776 0.0083
87 Westmont 24,201 3.9% $369,100 $83,622 $1,427 0.0117
88 Schaumburg 76,780 3.6% $312,200 $94,690 $1,774 0.0209
89 Bloomingdale 22,388 4.5% $363,100 $98,891 $1,607 0.0172
90 South Elgin 23,984 2.7% $296,100 $123,744 $1,619 0.0075
91 Woodridge 33,889 4.3% $345,200 $97,263 $1,547 0.0071
92 Carol Stream 39,427 4.2% $308,700 $105,395 $1,465 0.0083
93 Morton Grove 24,687 3.9% $377,000 $106,078 $2,210 0.0102
94 Wauconda 14,010 3.6% $268,300 $112,438 $1,304 0.0023
95 Washington 15,946 1.2% $216,700 $91,360 $1,087 0.0201
96 Lombard 43,722 4.7% $321,200 $97,253 $1,834 0.0170
97 Roscoe 10,881 3.2% $215,200 $97,704 $1,349 0.0088
98 Orland Park 57,961 4.7% $349,400 $98,979 $1,415 0.0096
99 Gurnee 30,486 3.8% $331,100 $121,410 $1,594 0.0236
100 Mundelein 31,632 3.1% $285,600 $107,608 $1,564 0.0070

About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.