You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in Illinois. Best sururbs in Illinois. Best counties in Illinois.
Etc., etc., etc.
But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Prairie State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.
Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in Illinois based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.
We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in Illinois ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.
Before we get to the top 15, here’s a look at the 10 Best Small Towns To Live in Illinois for 2023.
The 10 Best Small Towns To Live In Illinois For 2023
- Leland Grove
- Germa
- Prestbury
- Dunlap
- Forest Lake
- Philo
- Knollwood
- Rochester
- Tremont
- Sherman
What’s the best small town in Illinois? Leland Grove is the best small town in Illinois based on the most recent Census data. If you live in one of these small towns like Leland Grove, chances are, you’re not surprised. After all, you know how great you have it.
But for the rest of you–keep reading, and we’ll get to just why these small towns made our list.
For more reading on the Prairie State check out:
- Best Places To Live In Illinois
- Cheapest Places To Live In Illinois
- Most Dangerous Cities In Illinois
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 15 Best Small Towns In Illinois For 2023
1. Leland Grove
/10
Population: 1,336
Median Income: $123,810 (19th Best)
Median Home Value: $235,100 (35th Best)
More on Leland Grove:
2. Germa
/10
Population: 3,406
Median Income: $143,447 (12th Best)
Median Home Value: $238,600 (33rd Best)
More on Germa:
3. Prestbury
/10
Population: 2,051
Median Income: $140,301 (15th Best)
Median Home Value: $317,900 (20th Best)
More on Prestbury:
4. Dunlap
/10
Population: 1,549
Median Income: $119,712 (23rd Best)
Median Home Value: $233,500 (36th Best)
More on Dunlap:
5. Forest Lake
/10
Population: 1,476
Median Income: $134,821 (16th Best)
Median Home Value: $316,200 (21st Best)
More on Forest Lake:
6. Philo
/10
Population: 1,421
Median Income: $94,635 (53rd Best)
Median Home Value: $159,700 (98th Best)
More on Philo:
7. Knollwood
/10
Population: 1,719
Median Income: $123,523 (20th Best)
Median Home Value: $336,700 (18th Best)
More on Knollwood:
8. Rochester
/10
Population: 3,940
Median Income: $105,140 (36th Best)
Median Home Value: $207,900 (45th Best)
More on Rochester:
9. Tremont
/10
Population: 2,333
Median Income: $68,295 (124th Best)
Median Home Value: $170,500 (81st Best)
More on Tremont:
10. Sherman
/10
Population: 4,061
Median Income: $132,500 (17th Best)
Median Home Value: $249,800 (30th Best)
More on Sherman:
11. Hudson
/10
Population: 2,029
Median Income: $98,125 (44th Best)
Median Home Value: $183,500 (62nd Best)
More on Hudson:
12. Third Lake
/10
Population: 1,137
Median Income: $141,000 (13th Best)
Median Home Value: $274,800 (25th Best)
More on Third Lake:
13. Bannockburn
/10
Population: 1,315
Median Income: $147,500 (10th Best)
Median Home Value: $987,500 (2nd Best)
More on Bannockburn:
14. Teutopolis
/10
Population: 1,825
Median Income: $79,474 (86th Best)
Median Home Value: $175,600 (70th Best)
More on Teutopolis:
15. Kenilworth
/10
Population: 2,423
Median Income: $250,001 (1st Best)
Median Home Value: $1,286,500 (1st Best)
More on Kenilworth:
Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In Illinois
We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in Illinois possible.
Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2017-2021 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Lowest Unemployment Rates
- Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
- Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
- Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
- Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
- Commute Times (Lower is better)
We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 370 to be exact.
We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 370, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Illinois. Top of that list — Leland Grove.
This is our tenth time ranking the best small places to live in Illinois.
Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones
We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these 15 small towns in Illinois are the best in which to live.
And who can argue with that?
If you’re curious, here are the worst small towns in Illinois:
- Wamac
- Alorton
- Cairo
For more Illinois reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Illinois
- Safest Places In Illinois
- Worst Places To Live In Illinois
Detailed List Of The Best Small Towns In Illinois
Rank | City | Population |
---|---|---|
1 | Leland Grove, IL | 1,336 |
2 | Germa, IL | 3,406 |
3 | Prestbury, IL | 2,051 |
4 | Dunlap, IL | 1,549 |
5 | Forest Lake, IL | 1,476 |
6 | Philo, IL | 1,421 |
7 | Knollwood, IL | 1,719 |
8 | Rochester, IL | 3,940 |
9 | Tremont, IL | 2,333 |
10 | Sherman, IL | 4,061 |
11 | Hudson, IL | 2,029 |
12 | Third Lake, IL | 1,137 |
13 | Bannockburn, IL | 1,315 |
14 | Teutopolis, IL | 1,825 |
15 | Kenilworth, IL | 2,423 |
16 | Aviston, IL | 2,417 |
17 | St. Joseph, IL | 3,888 |
18 | Orion, IL | 1,859 |
19 | Indian Head Park, IL | 4,059 |
20 | Stillman Valley, IL | 1,277 |
21 | Williamsville, IL | 1,452 |
22 | Downs, IL | 1,454 |
23 | Forsyth, IL | 3,674 |
24 | Coal Valley, IL | 3,835 |
25 | Green Oaks, IL | 4,067 |
26 | Tower Lakes, IL | 1,340 |
27 | Kildeer, IL | 4,093 |
28 | Lakewood, IL | 4,489 |
29 | Deer Park, IL | 3,638 |
30 | Port Barrington, IL | 1,686 |
31 | Heritage Lake, IL | 1,623 |
32 | Twin Grove, IL | 1,506 |
33 | Metamora, IL | 4,032 |
34 | Beecher, IL | 4,568 |
35 | Lexington, IL | 2,042 |
36 | Oreana, IL | 1,105 |
37 | St. Jacob, IL | 1,538 |
38 | Millstadt, IL | 4,071 |
39 | Wayne, IL | 2,548 |
40 | Palos Park, IL | 4,859 |
41 | Roanoke, IL | 1,831 |
42 | Smithton, IL | 4,192 |
43 | Riverwoods, IL | 3,742 |
44 | Fairbury, IL | 3,674 |
45 | Sleepy Hollow, IL | 3,234 |
46 | Fox River Grove, IL | 4,710 |
47 | Hainesville, IL | 3,572 |
48 | Albers, IL | 1,431 |
49 | Port Byron, IL | 1,999 |
50 | Peotone, IL | 4,137 |
51 | Germa, IL | 1,220 |
52 | Mackinaw, IL | 1,956 |
53 | Hanna City, IL | 1,372 |
54 | Fisher, IL | 1,797 |
55 | Minier, IL | 1,105 |
56 | Lake Camelot, IL | 1,532 |
57 | Knoxville, IL | 3,258 |
58 | Lebanon, IL | 4,737 |
59 | New Berlin, IL | 1,256 |
60 | Paxton, IL | 4,269 |
61 | North Utica, IL | 1,157 |
62 | Coyne Center, IL | 1,019 |
63 | Cherry Valley, IL | 2,726 |
64 | Barrington Hills, IL | 4,236 |
65 | Sidney, IL | 1,040 |
66 | Oakwood Hills, IL | 2,714 |
67 | Marine, IL | 1,185 |
68 | Carthage, IL | 2,554 |
69 | Tuscola, IL | 4,769 |
70 | West Peoria, IL | 4,300 |
71 | Morrison, IL | 3,918 |
72 | Byron, IL | 3,740 |
73 | The Galena Territory, IL | 1,534 |
74 | Jerome, IL | 2,049 |
75 | Winnebago, IL | 3,323 |
76 | Long Creek, IL | 1,415 |
77 | Rosewood Heights, IL | 4,061 |
78 | Auburn, IL | 4,563 |
79 | Poplar Grove, IL | 4,514 |
80 | Heyworth, IL | 2,834 |
81 | Fox Lake Hills, IL | 2,396 |
82 | Chebanse, IL | 1,163 |
83 | Elmwood, IL | 2,484 |
84 | North Barrington, IL | 2,814 |
85 | Lily Lake, IL | 1,278 |
86 | Catlin, IL | 1,989 |
87 | Tolono, IL | 3,578 |
88 | Timberlane, IL | 1,323 |
89 | Clifton, IL | 1,283 |
90 | Maroa, IL | 1,973 |
91 | Breese, IL | 4,300 |
92 | Olympia Fields, IL | 4,949 |
93 | Crystal Lawns, IL | 2,024 |
94 | Galena, IL | 3,212 |
95 | Rosemont, IL | 4,027 |
96 | Herscher, IL | 1,251 |
97 | Prairie Grove, IL | 1,928 |
98 | East Dundee, IL | 3,117 |
99 | Rome, IL | 1,556 |
100 | Warrensburg, IL | 1,249 |