Some of you might be asking yourself, at this very moment, is Illinois a good place?
The answer is unequivocally yes… if you know where to locate the best counties to live in Illinois.
Lucky for you, we’re here to help you identify the best counties to live in the Prairie State based on the most recently available data from the Census. And this isn’t our first rodeo — we’ve been using Saturday Night Science to rank places for years.
The question becomes if you wanted to relocate to the best part of Illinois, where would you go? To answer that, we looked at crime, cost of living, and demographic data for all 102 counties in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 Best Counties To Live In Illinois For 2024
Monroe County is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in Illinois. And you should avoid Alexander County if you can — at least according to the data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Illinois. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Illinois and the cheapest places to live in Illinois.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The Best Counties To Live In Illinois For 2024
1. Monroe County
Biggest Place: Columbia
Population: 34,905
Median Income: $100,685 (5th best)
Median Home Price: $278,122 (9th best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.7% (best)
More on Monroe County: Data
2. Grundy County
Biggest Place: Morris
Population: 52,624
Median Income: $89,993 (8th best)
Median Home Price: $279,958 (8th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.2% (3best)
More on Grundy County: Data
3. Kendall County
Biggest Place: Aurora
Population: 132,795
Median Income: $106,358 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $341,876 (2nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.3% (35th best)
More on Kendall County: Data
4. Woodford County
Biggest Place: Eureka
Population: 38,414
Median Income: $80,093 (13th best)
Median Home Price: $195,813 (16th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.3% (14th best)
More on Woodford County: Data
5. Putnam County
Biggest Place: Granville
Population: 5,628
Median Income: $75,726 (18th best)
Median Home Price: $168,292 (26th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.2% (11th best)
More on Putnam County: Data
6. Menard County
Biggest Place: Petersburg
Population: 12,284
Median Income: $84,846 (10th best)
Median Home Price: $175,788 (2best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.9% (56th best)
More on Menard County: Data
7. Piatt County
Biggest Place: Monticello
Population: 16,698
Median Income: $81,151 (11th best)
Median Home Price: $186,405 (20th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.7% (45th best)
More on Piatt County: Data
8. Jersey County
Biggest Place: Jerseyville
Population: 21,462
Median Income: $77,607 (16th best)
Median Home Price: $174,494 (22nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.4% (17th best)
More on Jersey County: Data
9. Dupage County
Biggest Place: Chicago
Population: 930,559
Median Income: $107,035 (best)
Median Home Price: $377,078 (best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.7% (50th best)
More on Dupage County: Data
10. Jo Daviess County
Biggest Place: Galena
Population: 21,942
Median Income: $67,729 (32nd best)
Median Home Price: $223,564 (13th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.7% (6th best)
More on Jo Daviess County: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which Illinois county is the best?
To give you the best county in Illinois, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. To do that, we made assumptions about what’s in a “best county” and what isn’t. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to two of the best data sources on the internet. Namely, the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent period.
We paid particular attention to:
- Violent Crime Rates
- Property Crime Rates
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Unemployment Rates
- Adult Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We then ranked each county in Illinois across each of the criteria from one to 102, with one being the best.
Taking the average rank across all criteria, we created a quality of life score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Best County To Live In Illinois.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and best counties to raise a family in the Prairie State.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best counties to live in Illinois.
Read on to see why Monroe County is the best county, while Alexander County is probably in contention for being the worst county in Illinois.
Summary: The Best Counties In Illinois To Call Home For 2024
Living in Illinois can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?
The best counties in Illinois are Monroe County, Grundy County, Kendall County, Woodford County, Putnam County, Menard County, Piatt County, Jersey County, DuPage County, and Jo Daviess County.
But now you know the outstanding parts and the parts to avoid, and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the worst counties in Illinois according to the data:
- Alexander County
- Lawrence County
- Franklin County
For more Illinois reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In Illinois
- Best Counties To Live In Illinois
- Best Places To Buy A House In Illinois
- Cheapest Places To Live In Illinois
Detailed List Of The Best Counties In Illinois
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monroe County | 34,905 | $100,685 | $278,122 |
| 2 | Grundy County | 52,624 | $89,993 | $279,958 |
| 3 | Kendall County | 132,795 | $106,358 | $341,876 |
| 4 | Woodford County | 38,414 | $80,093 | $195,813 |
| 5 | Putnam County | 5,628 | $75,726 | $168,292 |
| 6 | Menard County | 12,284 | $84,846 | $175,788 |
| 7 | Piatt County | 16,698 | $81,151 | $186,405 |
| 8 | Jersey County | 21,462 | $77,607 | $174,494 |
| 9 | Dupage County | 930,559 | $107,035 | $377,078 |
| 10 | Jo Daviess County | 21,942 | $67,729 | $223,564 |
| 11 | Mchenry County | 311,133 | $100,101 | $311,691 |
| 12 | Calhoun County | 4,472 | $88,059 | $158,742 |
| 13 | Clinton County | 36,998 | $78,054 | $187,202 |
| 14 | Tazewell County | 131,276 | $74,606 | $157,718 |
| 15 | Mclean County | 171,284 | $75,356 | $224,915 |
| 16 | Washington County | 13,781 | $75,111 | $147,297 |
| 17 | Effingham County | 34,594 | $73,181 | $216,715 |
| 18 | Will County | 696,774 | $103,678 | $323,439 |
| 19 | Mercer County | 15,692 | $67,028 | $153,699 |
| 20 | Ogle County | 51,672 | $75,782 | $192,381 |
| 21 | Sangamon County | 196,122 | $71,653 | $168,549 |
| 22 | Shelby County | 21,042 | $65,585 | $138,927 |
| 23 | Adams County | 65,583 | $63,767 | $168,083 |
| 24 | Henry County | 49,157 | $66,313 | $143,832 |
| 25 | Clark County | 15,467 | $65,874 | $119,796 |
| 26 | Cumberland County | 10,447 | $71,274 | $133,362 |
| 27 | Lee County | 34,221 | $64,588 | $154,726 |
| 28 | Livingston County | 35,771 | $68,175 | $136,008 |
| 29 | Lake County | 713,159 | $104,553 | $331,991 |
| 30 | Jasper County | 9,295 | $67,429 | $147,386 |
| 31 | Madison County | 265,512 | $71,759 | $171,698 |
| 32 | De Witt County | 15,535 | $61,823 | $127,654 |
| 33 | Henderson County | 6,374 | $64,946 | $102,756 |
| 34 | Scott County | 4,899 | $70,500 | $71,083 |
| 35 | Lasalle County | 109,495 | $67,942 | $155,378 |
| 36 | Dekalb County | 100,686 | $68,617 | $247,769 |
| 37 | Marshall County | 11,740 | $64,940 | $112,975 |
| 38 | Champaign County | 206,525 | $61,090 | $198,110 |
| 39 | Kane County | 517,254 | $96,400 | $325,652 |
| 40 | Hancock County | 17,582 | $61,026 | $108,843 |
| 41 | Logan County | 28,027 | $62,547 | $118,049 |
| 42 | Brown County | 6,334 | $64,760 | $111,152 |
| 43 | St. Clair County | 256,791 | $68,915 | $167,079 |
| 44 | Macoupin County | 44,907 | $64,706 | $115,813 |
| 45 | Whiteside County | 55,569 | $62,828 | $120,330 |
| 46 | Boone County | 53,459 | $80,502 | $234,234 |
| 47 | Crawford County | 18,729 | $64,163 | $108,842 |
| 48 | Williamson County | 67,120 | $60,325 | $137,334 |
| 49 | Douglas County | 19,714 | $67,177 | $133,891 |
| 50 | Richland County | 15,716 | $61,607 | $114,661 |
| 51 | Moultrie County | 14,531 | $72,833 | $129,406 |
| 52 | Bond County | 16,750 | $58,617 | $141,980 |
| 53 | Christian County | 33,893 | $56,933 | $102,914 |
| 54 | Wabash County | 11,321 | $54,074 | $104,675 |
| 55 | Kankakee County | 107,421 | $65,489 | $192,125 |
| 56 | Stark County | 5,395 | $58,125 | $93,231 |
| 57 | Ford County | 13,484 | $58,930 | $125,567 |
| 58 | Peoria County | 181,186 | $63,409 | $132,542 |
| 59 | Morgan County | 32,882 | $61,188 | $116,636 |
| 60 | Greene County | 12,015 | $58,900 | $87,199 |
| 61 | Randolph County | 30,413 | $63,860 | $124,173 |
| 62 | Cook County | 5,225,367 | $78,304 | $290,211 |
| 63 | Iroquois County | 27,043 | $62,866 | $126,379 |
| 64 | Montgomery County | 28,352 | $61,796 | $104,209 |
| 65 | Bureau County | 33,203 | $64,165 | $120,973 |
| 66 | Carroll County | 15,594 | $61,539 | $135,432 |
| 67 | Johnson County | 13,313 | $63,295 | $164,855 |
| 68 | Hardin County | 3,665 | $53,026 | $82,517 |
| 69 | Cass County | 12,955 | $64,826 | $87,117 |
| 70 | Stephenson County | 44,482 | $57,527 | $131,268 |
| 71 | Mason County | 13,074 | $58,479 | $86,743 |
| 72 | Macon County | 103,542 | $59,622 | $104,251 |
| 73 | Rock Island County | 143,819 | $64,435 | $143,964 |
| 74 | Edgar County | 16,852 | $56,687 | $79,621 |
| 75 | Pike County | 14,776 | $55,514 | $92,549 |
| 76 | Fulton County | 33,691 | $57,223 | $93,452 |
| 77 | Winnebago County | 284,591 | $61,738 | $169,046 |
| 78 | Pope County | 3,799 | $57,582 | $134,954 |
| 79 | Schuyler County | 6,879 | $63,737 | $147,325 |
| 80 | Massac County | 14,135 | $57,365 | $95,457 |
| 81 | Wayne County | 16,127 | $53,522 | $101,811 |
| 82 | Fayette County | 21,464 | $51,962 | $128,844 |
| 83 | Hamilton County | 8,008 | $60,574 | $85,498 |
| 84 | Jefferson County | 37,043 | $58,384 | $107,555 |
| 85 | White County | 13,834 | $54,605 | $85,980 |
| 86 | Perry County | 20,996 | $56,338 | $87,134 |
| 87 | Coles County | 47,076 | $53,732 | $115,288 |
| 88 | Edwards County | 6,182 | $60,784 | $76,906 |
| 89 | Knox County | 49,751 | $50,263 | $93,279 |
| 90 | Gallatin County | 4,967 | $51,868 | $69,935 |
| 91 | Union County | 17,122 | $54,090 | $131,340 |
| 92 | Warren County | 16,760 | $62,700 | $100,709 |
| 93 | Mcdonough County | 27,370 | $48,904 | $86,240 |
| 94 | Vermilion County | 74,113 | $52,787 | $82,159 |
| 95 | Clay County | 13,248 | $58,028 | $90,199 |
| 96 | Marion County | 37,543 | $59,099 | $96,810 |
| 97 | Saline County | 23,662 | $51,710 | $70,697 |
| 98 | Jackson County | 53,176 | $44,847 | $106,026 |
| 99 | Pulaski County | 5,177 | $41,038 | $66,465 |
| 100 | Franklin County | 37,810 | $51,031 | $83,458 |