There are all types when it comes to being a snob in Illinois. You’ve got your Wine Snobs, Book Snobs, and, of course, Clothes Snobs. Then there are the Technology Snobs, Car Snobs, and yes, even City Snobsas in, I’m better than you because I live in (insert snooty city here).
How can we tell which Illinois cities are the snobbiest? By measuring snobby things, that’s how.
We used Saturday Night Science to look at things like expensive homes, high incomes, and overly educated populations by city in Illinois. These are the criteria you’d argue with a friend over a foodie dinner about who’s snobbier.
After analyzing 323 of the state’s most populous areas over 5,000 people, we came up with this ranking of the ten snobbiest places in the state of Illinois.
The Illinoisan in these places aren’t snobby, they just know they’re better than you.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Snobbiest Places In Illinois
Don’t freak out.
What’s the snobbiest place in Illinois? The snobbiest place in Illinois is Winnetka based on the data. If we had their wealth and lifestyle, we’d probably be a little snobby, too.
The most laid back? That would be Harvey.
We’re not so full of ourselves as to make this ranking up from nowhere. So here’s a look at the top ten and more on how we did it. And if you’re curious, Illinois is the 16th snobbiest in the United States.
For more Illinois reading, check out:
The 10 Snobbiest Places In Illinois For 2026
/10
% Highly Educated: 86.0%
Median Income: $250,001
Median Home Price: $1,818,304
More on Winnetka: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
% Highly Educated: 88.0%
Median Income: $248,933
Median Home Price: $1,577,964
More on Glencoe: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
% Highly Educated: 81.0%
Median Income: $250,001
Median Home Price: $1,244,308
More on Hinsdale: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
% Highly Educated: 80.0%
Median Income: $235,081
Median Home Price: $1,167,578
More on Lake Forest: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
% Highly Educated: 84.0%
Median Income: $230,255
Median Home Price: $863,782
More on Western Springs: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
% Highly Educated: 83.0%
Median Income: $190,662
Median Home Price: $961,182
More on Wilmette: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
% Highly Educated: 76.0%
Median Income: $250,001
Median Home Price: $924,480
More on Long Grove: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
/10
% Highly Educated: 77.0%
Median Income: $219,631
Median Home Price: $727,355
More on Hawthorn Woods: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
/10
% Highly Educated: 80.0%
Median Income: $161,500
Median Home Price: $841,445
More on Northfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How we determined the snobbiest cities in the Prairie State
Do you think wed just come up with this list willy-nilly? Not a chance – we only use Saturday Night Science around here.
We gathered up all of the places in Illinois with populations of 5,000 people or more. This left us with a total of 323 places. Then, we looked at each place in terms of these snoot-er-iffic criteria (And no, its not a word. English snob.):
- Median home price (Higher is snobbier)
- Median household income (Higher is snobbier)
- Percent of population with a college degree (Higher is snobbier)
Incomes and college education levels come from the American Community Survey. Home prices come from Zillow.
Turned out this simple criteria was much better at sniffing out the snobby places then more snobby criteria like:
- Libaries per capita (Higher is snobbier)
- Museums per capita (Higher is snobbier)
- Private schools per capita (Higher is snobbier)
From there, we ranked each of our 323 places in each category with scores from one to 323. We then averaged each places ranking into one overall score, where the lowest score went to the snobbiest place in Illinois. So lets all flip a table in honor of Winnetka (with our pinkies up, of course.)
Before you get upset and ruin your blowout or something drastic here, lets remember that this is all in good fun. Would we live in one of these 10 places if we had the chance? Of course, we would.
And it’s not like your real estate agent would ever point out how snobby the town you’re moving to is. We’re here to keep you grounded, even if you’re wearing a monocle.
There You Have It – Now That You’re On Your High Horse
When it comes to snobbery, these places in Illinois are heading ever upward. Residents in these communities are well educated, well paid, and appear to have all the sophisticated culture and entertainment of an Ernst Lubitsch film right at their fingertips.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
The snobbiest cities in Illinois are Winnetka, Glencoe, Hinsdale, Lake Forest, Western Springs, Wilmette, Long Grove, South Barrington, Hawthorn Woods, and Northfield.
If you’re also curious enough, here are the most laid back places in Illinois, according to science:
- Harvey
- West Frankfort
- East St. Louis
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
Table: The Snobbiest Cities In Illinois For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Adult Highly Educated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Winnetka, IL | 12,484 | $250,001 | $1,818,304 | 86.0% |
| 2 | Glencoe, IL | 8,701 | $248,933 | $1,577,964 | 88.0% |
| 3 | Hinsdale, IL | 17,175 | $250,001 | $1,244,308 | 81.0% |
| 4 | Lake Forest, IL | 19,416 | $235,081 | $1,167,578 | 80.0% |
| 5 | Western Springs, IL | 13,446 | $230,255 | $863,782 | 84.0% |
| 6 | Wilmette, IL | 27,503 | $190,662 | $961,182 | 83.0% |
| 7 | Long Grove, IL | 8,305 | $250,001 | $924,480 | 76.0% |
| 8 | South Barrington, IL | 5,021 | $221,575 | $1,108,364 | 74.0% |
| 9 | Hawthorn Woods, IL | 9,143 | $219,631 | $727,355 | 77.0% |
| 10 | Northfield, IL | 5,487 | $161,500 | $841,445 | 80.0% |
| 11 | Highland Park, IL | 30,398 | $168,094 | $751,000 | 77.0% |
| 12 | Lincolnshire, IL | 7,980 | $185,580 | $714,055 | 77.0% |
| 13 | Lake Bluff, IL | 6,041 | $204,000 | $633,529 | 81.0% |
| 14 | Deerfield, IL | 19,518 | $181,660 | $635,444 | 82.0% |
| 15 | Inverness, IL | 7,275 | $207,434 | $787,209 | 69.0% |
| 16 | Oak Brook, IL | 8,056 | $175,870 | $966,776 | 67.0% |
| 17 | Northbrook, IL | 34,585 | $157,782 | $688,265 | 72.0% |
| 18 | River Forest, IL | 11,992 | $146,786 | $716,652 | 74.0% |
| 19 | Libertyville, IL | 20,525 | $165,667 | $603,285 | 71.0% |
| 20 | Burr Ridge, IL | 11,141 | $156,829 | $828,471 | 66.0% |
| 21 | Naperville, IL | 150,692 | $155,105 | $610,453 | 72.0% |
| 22 | Campton Hills, IL | 10,877 | $209,134 | $666,624 | 60.0% |
| 23 | La Grange, IL | 15,998 | $159,929 | $639,654 | 67.0% |
| 24 | Riverside, IL | 9,039 | $153,686 | $547,998 | 73.0% |
| 25 | Glenview, IL | 47,752 | $143,056 | $663,146 | 69.0% |
| 26 | Barrington, IL | 11,077 | $147,989 | $613,360 | 68.0% |
| 27 | Clarendon Hills, IL | 8,659 | $130,388 | $666,350 | 72.0% |
| 28 | Elmhurst, IL | 45,671 | $149,644 | $613,207 | 63.0% |
| 29 | Park Ridge, IL | 38,667 | $142,986 | $564,904 | 66.0% |
| 30 | Glen Ellyn, IL | 28,390 | $140,938 | $562,204 | 67.0% |
| 31 | Geneva, IL | 21,258 | $144,341 | $532,206 | 64.0% |
| 32 | Lake Barrington, IL | 5,442 | $141,958 | $534,062 | 64.0% |
| 33 | Frankfort, IL | 20,651 | $154,375 | $487,132 | 59.0% |
| 34 | Lake Zurich, IL | 19,832 | $135,968 | $488,102 | 61.0% |
| 35 | Buffalo Grove, IL | 42,891 | $129,395 | $436,990 | 70.0% |
| 36 | Winfield, IL | 10,095 | $135,795 | $456,206 | 60.0% |
| 37 | Wheaton, IL | 53,557 | $120,008 | $501,273 | 64.0% |
| 38 | Vernon Hills, IL | 26,876 | $121,943 | $448,031 | 68.0% |
| 39 | Oak Park, IL | 53,292 | $110,820 | $458,455 | 73.0% |
| 40 | Plainfield, IL | 46,708 | $144,000 | $421,480 | 55.0% |
| 41 | Arlington Heights, IL | 76,005 | $116,723 | $470,944 | 61.0% |
| 42 | La Grange Park, IL | 13,447 | $120,408 | $480,916 | 56.0% |
| 43 | Elburn, IL | 6,354 | $127,731 | $448,721 | 55.0% |
| 44 | Downers Grove, IL | 50,054 | $115,114 | $494,150 | 59.0% |
| 45 | Batavia, IL | 27,151 | $120,056 | $453,319 | 56.0% |
| 46 | Lincolnwood, IL | 13,112 | $109,731 | $542,075 | 57.0% |
| 47 | Lemont, IL | 17,820 | $123,370 | $565,404 | 47.0% |
| 48 | New Lenox, IL | 28,006 | $140,865 | $440,655 | 49.0% |
| 49 | Gilberts, IL | 8,606 | $146,333 | $409,640 | 50.0% |
| 50 | Bartlett, IL | 40,501 | $133,240 | $430,325 | 50.0% |
| 51 | St. Charles, IL | 32,854 | $114,300 | $463,142 | 53.0% |
| 52 | Volo, IL | 6,706 | $160,792 | $366,347 | 52.0% |
| 53 | Darien, IL | 21,879 | $111,215 | $449,622 | 53.0% |
| 54 | Itasca, IL | 9,355 | $114,294 | $443,025 | 52.0% |
| 55 | Lisle, IL | 23,407 | $107,479 | $425,025 | 62.0% |
| 56 | Sugar Grove, IL | 9,240 | $121,207 | $445,736 | 47.0% |
| 57 | Evanston, IL | 76,340 | $96,434 | $470,774 | 69.0% |
| 58 | Morton Grove, IL | 24,619 | $111,116 | $430,051 | 54.0% |
| 59 | Homer Glen, IL | 24,529 | $136,678 | $505,178 | 40.0% |
| 60 | Flossmoor, IL | 9,391 | $133,663 | $327,345 | 65.0% |
| 61 | Spring Grove, IL | 5,917 | $134,210 | $406,655 | 45.0% |
| 62 | Gurnee, IL | 30,510 | $119,628 | $368,528 | 57.0% |
| 63 | Mokena, IL | 20,021 | $123,889 | $443,959 | 43.0% |
| 64 | Lake Villa, IL | 8,683 | $118,750 | $370,653 | 55.0% |
| 65 | Oswego, IL | 36,375 | $123,792 | $416,737 | 44.0% |
| 66 | Algonquin, IL | 30,067 | $134,525 | $406,940 | 43.0% |
| 67 | Grayslake, IL | 20,929 | $113,972 | $361,376 | 58.0% |
| 68 | Lindenhurst, IL | 14,417 | $131,474 | $347,218 | 48.0% |
| 69 | West Dundee, IL | 7,906 | $105,368 | $411,112 | 50.0% |
| 70 | Mount Prospect, IL | 55,472 | $101,720 | $433,813 | 49.0% |
| 71 | Mahomet, IL | 10,049 | $118,586 | $339,545 | 54.0% |
| 72 | Shorewood, IL | 18,343 | $122,105 | $403,277 | 41.0% |
| 73 | Skokie, IL | 66,219 | $95,337 | $413,077 | 54.0% |
| 74 | Hoffman Estates, IL | 51,175 | $106,806 | $394,617 | 48.0% |
| 75 | Bloomingdale, IL | 22,457 | $102,928 | $428,844 | 45.0% |
| 76 | Lombard, IL | 43,619 | $100,362 | $380,912 | 51.0% |
| 77 | Highwood, IL | 5,301 | $107,875 | $467,497 | 39.0% |
| 78 | Woodridge, IL | 33,941 | $101,000 | $404,091 | 47.0% |
| 79 | Mundelein, IL | 31,915 | $108,340 | $380,533 | 46.0% |
| 80 | North Aurora, IL | 18,696 | $114,305 | $395,207 | 41.0% |
| 81 | Palos Heights, IL | 12,152 | $108,740 | $389,152 | 44.0% |
| 82 | Cary, IL | 17,923 | $113,026 | $368,572 | 45.0% |
| 83 | Lockport, IL | 26,409 | $111,981 | $360,598 | 45.0% |
| 84 | Manhattan, IL | 11,026 | $128,522 | $385,490 | 35.0% |
| 85 | Pingree Grove, IL | 10,914 | $114,294 | $369,701 | 43.0% |
| 86 | South Elgin, IL | 24,217 | $127,203 | $366,631 | 38.0% |
| 87 | Columbia, IL | 11,127 | $107,606 | $342,741 | 50.0% |
| 88 | Palatine, IL | 66,293 | $97,819 | $375,854 | 50.0% |
| 89 | Orland Park, IL | 57,916 | $98,910 | $397,472 | 46.0% |
| 90 | Roselle, IL | 22,752 | $111,318 | $374,677 | 41.0% |
| 91 | Yorkville, IL | 23,617 | $108,513 | $399,862 | 39.0% |
| 92 | Westmont, IL | 23,724 | $88,090 | $400,411 | 51.0% |
| 93 | Savoy, IL | 8,968 | $91,966 | $345,247 | 63.0% |
| 94 | Crystal Lake, IL | 40,579 | $108,418 | $374,459 | 41.0% |
| 95 | Troy, IL | 11,647 | $112,434 | $324,854 | 46.0% |
| 96 | Schaumburg, IL | 76,868 | $97,514 | $349,953 | 51.0% |
| 97 | Lake In The Hills, IL | 28,800 | $117,151 | $369,917 | 36.0% |
| 98 | Carol Stream, IL | 39,460 | $102,309 | $377,327 | 42.0% |
| 99 | Brookfield, IL | 19,331 | $110,295 | $345,444 | 42.0% |
| 100 | O’fallon, IL | 32,262 | $105,982 | $308,470 | 52.0% |