If you’re looking for safe cities and neighborhoods, amazing schools, large green spaces, good food, and just overall good family friendly fun, you can stop your search: Illinois is one of the most family friendly states in the USA. Great family friendly Illinois cities are around every corner in The Land of Lincoln. You can have your family on a Lake Michigan beach, at an amusement park, and camping at a state park, all in the same day.
Your in luck parents, some of these family friendly cities have family friendly breweries for that end of the day family friendly fun. And lucky for you, they have many that are both kid and dog friendly. In all seriousness, Illinois has some of the best schools in the country. Blue Ribbon elementary schools, gold star high schools with focus in STEM and the Arts, and colleges like Northwestern and the University of Illinois have been delivering the next generation to work at major Illinois companies like Caterpillar, McDonalds, and Walgreens. (This is especially nice for those parents who don’t want their kids to fly the coop for school or work.)
Now don’t count yourselves out of the mix, parents, and definitely don’t let Illinois’ unemployment rate scare you. There are plenty of jobs available in Illinois for anyone who wants to work from Chicago down to Springfield. And with a $63,000/year household median, there’s plenty of moneyto keep your family happy, healthy, and having fun. And speaking of healthy, Illinois has a lot of healthy options. The Prairie state is leading the way in agriculture, they have boatloads of Farmers’ Markets, and plenty of space to run. They are one of the top states for life expectancy.
To take a closer look at the top ten cities on our family friendly Illinois cities for 2026, scroll on down.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Cities To Raise A Family In Illinois For 2026
To narrow down the most family friendly cities in Illinois, we looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities and percent of households that currently have children. The cities also had to have a population of at least 10,000.
What’s the most family friendly place to call home in Illinois? Without further adieu, the most family friendly city in Illinois for 2026 is Western Springs.
So, if you care about your family living where crime is low, schools are awesome, where you can lead an active, healthy lifestyle, take a look at the list below. This flyover state wants you to call it home.
More reading about Illinois and the best places for families in the country:
- Best Places To Live In Illinois
- Cheapest Places To Live In Illinois
- Best Cities To Raise A Family In America
- Best States To Raise A Family In America
The 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In Illinois For 2026
/10
Population: 13,446
Median Income: $230,255
Average Home Price: $863,782
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 39
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 43.6%
More on Western Springs: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 17,175
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $1,244,308
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 40
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 48.2%
More on Hinsdale: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 12,484
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $1,818,304
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 41
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 43.2%
More on Winnetka: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 19,416
Median Income: $235,081
Average Home Price: $1,167,578
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 52
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 28.6%
More on Lake Forest: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 11,992
Median Income: $146,786
Average Home Price: $716,652
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 60
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 33.4%
More on River Forest: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 11,647
Median Income: $112,434
Average Home Price: $324,854
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 57
Closest Major City: St. Louis
Households with kids: 41.0%
More on Troy: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 11,077
Median Income: $147,989
Average Home Price: $613,360
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 57
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 40.8%
More on Barrington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 19,518
Median Income: $181,660
Average Home Price: $635,444
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 35
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 35.4%
More on Deerfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 15,998
Median Income: $159,929
Average Home Price: $639,654
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 52
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 38.4%
More on La Grange: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
Population: 28,390
Median Income: $140,938
Average Home Price: $562,204
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 46
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 34.9%
More on Glen Ellyn: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Illinois anyways?
To give you the places in Illinois that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Illinois, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Illinois, that meant a total of 198 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in Illinois.
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Illinois
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Illinois ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Illinois are Western Springs, Hinsdale, Winnetka, Lake Forest, River Forest, Troy, Barrington, Deerfield, La Grange, and Glen Ellyn.
Here’s a look at the best cities for singles Illinois according to the data:
- DeKalb
- Machesney Park
- Decatur
For more Illinois reading, check out:
Best Places For Families In Illinois
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Amenities Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Springs, IL | 13,446 | $230,255 | $863,782 | 48 |
| 2 | Hinsdale, IL | 17,175 | $250,001 | $1,244,308 | 59 |
| 3 | Winnetka, IL | 12,484 | $250,001 | $1,818,304 | 45 |
| 4 | Lake Forest, IL | 19,416 | $235,081 | $1,167,578 | 55 |
| 5 | River Forest, IL | 11,992 | $146,786 | $716,652 | 53 |
| 6 | Troy, IL | 11,647 | $112,434 | $324,854 | 62 |
| 7 | Barrington, IL | 11,077 | $147,989 | $613,360 | 58 |
| 8 | Deerfield, IL | 19,518 | $181,660 | $635,444 | 36 |
| 9 | La Grange, IL | 15,998 | $159,929 | $639,654 | 62 |
| 10 | Glen Ellyn, IL | 28,390 | $140,938 | $562,204 | 51 |