Are you sick of being a city slicker?
Do you long for life in suburban Illinois? Where you can drive an overly-large vehicle to the store for groceries and schlep the kids around to practices and appointments without worrying about a parking space.
We do, too.
If you wanted to move out to the suburbs of Springfield, where would you go? And how would you decide on the ranking factors to help you pick which Illinois suburb was best?
No worries. We got it all figured out here using Saturday Night Science.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
These are the 10 best suburbs in the Prairie State
Western Springs is the place to be when it comes to being a soccer mom in suburban Illinois.
So if you’re thinking of packing up your mini van and making a move to a quiet place to live in Illinois, we’ve got you covered.
Keep on reading for a detailed methodology. Or, check out the best places to live in Illinois and the best places to raise a family in Illinois.
Best Suburbs In Illinois For 2025
/10
Population: 13,353
Median Income: $218,839
Average Home Price: $691,300
More on Western Springs: Data
Western Springs is located 11 miles west of Chicago.
/10
Population: 19,185
Median Income: $189,705
Average Home Price: $608,600
More on Deerfield: Data
Deerfield is located 24 miles north of Chicago.
/10
Population: 17,155
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $999,100
More on Hinsdale: Data
Hinsdale is located 12 miles west of Chicago.
/10
Population: 7,937
Median Income: $179,735
Average Home Price: $625,800
More on Lincolnshire: Data
Lincolnshire is located 27 miles north of Chicago.
/10
Population: 12,508
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $1,206,300
More on Winnetka: Data
Winnetka is located 18 miles north of Chicago.
/10
Population: 5,683
Median Income: $180,492
Average Home Price: $807,700
More on Northfield: Data
Northfield is located 18 miles north of Chicago.
/10
Population: 13,227
Median Income: $119,115
Average Home Price: $427,800
More on La Grange Park: Data
La Grange Park is located 9 miles west of Chicago.
/10
Population: 53,453
Median Income: $119,566
Average Home Price: $447,700
More on Wheaton: Data
Wheaton is located 21 miles west of Chicago.
/10
Population: 8,642
Median Income: $125,826
Average Home Price: $595,500
More on Clarendon Hills: Data
Clarendon Hills is located 14 miles west of Chicago.
/10
Population: 39,241
Median Income: $138,059
Average Home Price: $539,300
More on Park Ridge: Data
Park Ridge is located 14 miles north of Chicago.
Methodology:How we crunched the suburb numbers for the Prairie State
We have to use Saturday Night Science and look at several metrics to give you the best suburbs in Illinois. We want to measure the type of place around major cities that people arguing at a bar would say makes it the “best suburb.”
First, we had to define a suburb. Using U.S. Census data produced for the state of Illinois, we looked at every town with at least 5,000 residents, and within 30 miles of a city that’s over 200,000 people.
In other words, suburbs.
We paid particular attention to the following criteria:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is Better)
- Unemployment Rates
- Commute Time
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We ranked each suburb in Illinois across these criteria from one to 159, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, with the town posting the lowest overall score being crowned the winner of the title “Best Suburb To Live In Illinois.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and ideal places to live in Illinois.
Read on to see why Western Springs is the ‘burb with the most, while Markham is probably not the best place to live in Illinois.
Summary: There You Have It – The Best Suburbs In Illinois
If you’re measuring the locations in Illinois where there are lots to do, and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
The best suburbs in Illinois are Western Springs, Deerfield, Hinsdale, Lincolnshire, Winnetka, Northfield, La Grange Park, Wheaton, Clarendon Hills, and Park Ridge.
Here’s a look at the worst suburbs in Illinois according to the data:
- Markham
- Harvey
- Riverdale
For more Illinois reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Illinois
- Cheapest Places To Live In Illinois
- Most Dangerous Cities In Illinois
- Richest Cities In Illinois
- Safest Places In Illinois
- Worst Places To Live In Illinois
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Illinois
The Best Suburbs In Illinois
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Springs | 13,353 | $218,839 | $691,300 |
| 2 | Deerfield | 19,185 | $189,705 | $608,600 |
| 3 | Hinsdale | 17,155 | $250,001 | $999,100 |
| 4 | Lincolnshire | 7,937 | $179,735 | $625,800 |
| 5 | Winnetka | 12,508 | $250,001 | $1,206,300 |
| 6 | Northfield | 5,683 | $180,492 | $807,700 |
| 7 | La Grange Park | 13,227 | $119,115 | $427,800 |
| 8 | Wheaton | 53,453 | $119,566 | $447,700 |
| 9 | Clarendon Hills | 8,642 | $125,826 | $595,500 |
| 10 | Park Ridge | 39,241 | $138,059 | $539,300 |
| 11 | Inverness | 7,541 | $215,810 | $704,100 |
| 12 | Northbrook | 34,642 | $155,321 | $644,100 |
| 13 | Wilmette | 27,550 | $192,300 | $802,200 |
| 14 | South Barrington | 5,004 | $211,083 | $986,300 |
| 15 | Buffalo Grove | 42,824 | $129,820 | $392,900 |
| 16 | Lake Forest | 19,190 | $228,120 | $909,800 |
| 17 | Winfield | 9,982 | $143,102 | $363,400 |
| 18 | La Grange | 15,999 | $154,556 | $582,600 |
| 19 | Glencoe | 8,715 | $250,001 | $1,354,900 |
| 20 | Elmhurst | 45,538 | $145,374 | $532,800 |
| 21 | Mokena | 19,906 | $129,017 | $377,100 |
| 22 | Lisle | 23,413 | $106,173 | $407,000 |
| 23 | Brookfield | 19,235 | $108,429 | $314,000 |
| 24 | Naperville | 149,424 | $150,937 | $509,900 |
| 25 | New Lenox | 27,456 | $133,071 | $377,500 |
| 26 | Troy | 10,889 | $97,825 | $240,800 |
| 27 | Downers Grove | 49,867 | $119,649 | $439,000 |
| 28 | Glen Ellyn | 28,270 | $133,346 | $522,600 |
| 29 | Frankfort | 20,417 | $153,714 | $461,600 |
| 30 | Itasca | 9,525 | $111,898 | $375,600 |
| 31 | Palos Heights | 11,817 | $107,974 | $350,000 |
| 32 | Burr Ridge | 11,119 | $154,508 | $694,800 |
| 33 | Westchester | 16,524 | $103,561 | $297,400 |
| 34 | Arlington Heights | 76,220 | $118,532 | $403,200 |
| 35 | Highland Park | 30,229 | $161,875 | $594,400 |
| 36 | River Forest | 11,489 | $148,711 | $676,900 |
| 37 | Lemont | 17,643 | $126,100 | $447,800 |
| 38 | Willow Springs | 5,871 | $103,429 | $370,900 |
| 39 | Darien | 21,855 | $109,354 | $386,400 |
| 40 | Glenview | 47,682 | $138,758 | $598,800 |
| 41 | Long Grove | 8,266 | $235,368 | $746,700 |
| 42 | Columbia | 11,063 | $107,922 | $290,100 |
| 43 | Vernon Hills | 26,772 | $120,625 | $384,800 |
| 44 | Shiloh | 14,109 | $100,058 | $276,900 |
| 45 | Riverside | 9,079 | $149,219 | $460,500 |
| 46 | Homer Glen | 24,516 | $128,546 | $400,000 |
| 47 | Maryville | 8,280 | $100,813 | $253,100 |
| 48 | Mount Prospect | 55,648 | $103,911 | $377,000 |
| 49 | Roselle | 22,731 | $109,118 | $318,000 |
| 50 | O’fallon | 32,139 | $102,793 | $274,100 |
| 51 | Edwardsville | 26,543 | $92,671 | $286,700 |
| 52 | Westmont | 24,201 | $83,622 | $369,100 |
| 53 | Willowbrook | 9,138 | $97,861 | $367,000 |
| 54 | Morton Grove | 24,687 | $106,078 | $377,000 |
| 55 | Schaumburg | 76,780 | $94,690 | $312,200 |
| 56 | Carol Stream | 39,427 | $105,395 | $308,700 |
| 57 | Glen Carbon | 13,521 | $92,434 | $278,200 |
| 58 | Villa Park | 22,456 | $94,698 | $313,100 |
| 59 | Lockport | 26,228 | $113,252 | $298,800 |
| 60 | Woodridge | 33,889 | $97,263 | $345,200 |
| 61 | Bloomingdale | 22,388 | $98,891 | $363,100 |
| 62 | Lombard | 43,722 | $97,253 | $321,200 |
| 63 | Mascoutah | 8,743 | $93,902 | $226,300 |
| 64 | Oak Park | 53,315 | $108,026 | $456,300 |
| 65 | Warrenville | 14,232 | $99,028 | $266,500 |
| 66 | Waterloo | 11,055 | $92,005 | $237,900 |
| 67 | Flossmoor | 9,666 | $137,768 | $309,100 |
| 68 | Orland Park | 57,961 | $98,979 | $349,400 |
| 69 | Oak Brook | 8,028 | $171,123 | $867,900 |
| 70 | Oak Forest | 26,888 | $87,941 | $247,800 |
| 71 | Hoffman Estates | 51,186 | $109,683 | $340,400 |
| 72 | Palatine | 66,548 | $95,950 | $347,900 |
| 73 | Lincolnwood | 13,179 | $107,950 | $475,400 |
| 74 | Berkeley | 5,222 | $83,224 | $222,400 |
| 75 | Evanston | 76,552 | $95,766 | $472,300 |
| 76 | Tinley Park | 55,007 | $103,819 | $289,000 |
| 77 | Des Plaines | 59,408 | $94,303 | $318,200 |
| 78 | Swansea | 14,603 | $84,367 | $211,700 |
| 79 | Skokie | 66,427 | $93,550 | $368,600 |
| 80 | Wood Dale | 13,926 | $90,408 | $303,400 |
| 81 | Evergreen Park | 19,498 | $95,738 | $255,700 |
| 82 | Prospect Heights | 15,681 | $91,599 | $347,500 |
| 83 | North Riverside | 7,495 | $80,753 | $295,100 |
| 84 | Streamwood | 39,055 | $101,049 | $258,300 |
| 85 | Rolling Meadows | 23,981 | $100,424 | $299,700 |
| 86 | Glendale Heights | 32,864 | $82,232 | $249,000 |
| 87 | Orland Hills | 6,758 | $118,281 | $262,600 |
| 88 | Hickory Hills | 14,718 | $85,541 | $278,400 |
| 89 | Addison | 35,470 | $87,587 | $318,000 |
| 90 | Niles | 30,262 | $78,563 | $350,900 |
| 91 | Stickney | 6,957 | $67,307 | $236,000 |
| 92 | Godfrey | 17,743 | $92,746 | $181,400 |
| 93 | Wheeling | 38,495 | $83,251 | $244,600 |
| 94 | Monee | 5,104 | $89,571 | $226,400 |
| 95 | Hanover Park | 36,850 | $92,263 | $260,900 |
| 96 | Oak Lawn | 57,098 | $82,493 | $267,900 |
| 97 | Bolingbrook | 73,813 | $107,552 | $295,500 |
| 98 | Elmwood Park | 23,982 | $84,121 | $325,000 |
| 99 | River Grove | 10,482 | $74,793 | $244,700 |
| 100 | Palos Hills | 18,139 | $83,969 | $259,200 |