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 Snobs — as 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.
$250,001 median income · $1,818,305 median home · #2 income in Illinois
Located in
Cook County, Illinois
Winnetka is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, located 16 miles north of downtown Chicago. The population was 12,187 at the 2010 census. The village is one of the wealthiest places in the nation in terms of household income, and the richest in Illinois.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$248,933 median income · $1,577,965 median home · #4 income in Illinois
Located in
Cook County, Illinois
Glencoe is a village in northeastern Cook County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the total population was 8,723. Glencoe is located on Chicago’s North Shore and is located within the New Trier High School District.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$250,001 median income · $1,244,308 median home · #2 income in Illinois
Located in
DuPage County, Illinois
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$235,081 median income · $1,167,578 median home · #5 income in Illinois
Located in
Lake County, Illinois
Lake Forest is a city located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 19,375. The city is along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the North Shore. Lake Forest was founded around Lake Forest College and was laid out as a town in 1857 as a stop for travelers making their way south to Chicago. The Lake Forest City Hall, designed by Charles Sumner Frost, was completed in 1898 and originally housed the fire department, the Lake Forest Library, and city offices. Lake Forest is among the wealthiest cities in the United States.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$230,255 median income · $863,783 median home · #6 income in Illinois
Located in
Cook County, Illinois
Western Springs is a village located in Cook County, Illinois, United States and is a suburb of Chicago. As of the 2010 census, the village had a total population of 12,975. It is twinned with Rugeley, United Kingdom.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$190,662 median income · $961,183 median home · #12 income in Illinois
Located in
Cook County, Illinois
Wilmette is a village in New Trier Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located 14 miles north of Chicago’s downtown district and had a population at the 2010 census of 27,087. Wilmette is considered a bedroom community in the North Shore region. In 2007, Wilmette was ranked as the seventh best place to raise children in the U.S., according to Business Week. In 2015, Wilmette was ranked the best place to live in Illinois based on a variety of factors including its low unemployment rate, median income, low housing vacancy rate, high education expenditures per student, low crime, and short commute times. Wilmette is home to two of Illinois’ 17 elementary schools to be awarded the 2017 National Blue Ribbon award.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$250,001 median income · $924,481 median home · #2 income in Illinois
Located in
Lake County, Illinois
Long Grove is an affluent village in Lake County, Illinois, United States, approximately 35 miles northwest of Chicago. As of the 2010 census, the village had a population of 8,043. The village has strict building ordinances to preserve its “country atmosphere”.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$221,575 median income · $1,108,365 median home · #7 income in Illinois
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$219,631 median income · $727,356 median home · #8 income in Illinois
Located in
Lake County, Illinois
Hawthorn Woods is an affluent village in Fremont and Ela townships in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,663 at the 2010 census. The village is located approximately 40 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. It was officially incorporated in 1958. Major transportation arteries include Midlothian Road, Old McHenry Road, Gilmer Road, and the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway. The new Hawthorn Woods Country Club, whose golf course was designed by golf professional Arnold Palmer, is located within the village’s perimeter.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$161,500 median income · $841,446 median home · #18 income in Illinois
Northfield is an affluent village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, located approximately 19 miles north of downtown Chicago. It is part of a collection of upscale residential communities north of Chicago that belong to New Trier Township and the greater North Shore. As of the 2010 census, the village’s population was 5,420.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Illinois’s statewide median.
Illinois statewide median: $83,390
Illinois statewide median: $285,736
On the map
Where the snobs live in Illinois
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the snobbiest cities in the Prairie State
Do you think we’d 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, it’s 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 place’s ranking into one overall score, where the lowest score went to the snobbiest place in Illinois. So let’s 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, let’s 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.
The full plate
Table: The Snobbiest Cities In Illinois For 2026
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Snob Score | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Adult Highly Educated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Winnetka | 1.67 | 12,484 | $250,001 | $1,818,305 | 86.0% |
| 2 | Glencoe | 2.33 | 8,701 | $248,933 | $1,577,965 | 88.0% |
| 3 | Hinsdale | 3.83 | 17,175 | $250,001 | $1,244,308 | 81.0% |
| 4 | Lake Forest | 5.83 | 19,416 | $235,081 | $1,167,578 | 80.0% |
| 5 | Western Springs | 6.00 | 13,446 | $230,255 | $863,783 | 84.0% |
| 6 | Wilmette | 7.67 | 27,503 | $190,662 | $961,183 | 83.0% |
| 7 | Long Grove | 7.67 | 8,305 | $250,001 | $924,481 | 76.0% |
| 8 | South Barrington | 8.83 | 5,021 | $221,575 | $1,108,365 | 74.0% |
| 9 | Hawthorn Woods | 11.00 | 9,143 | $219,631 | $727,356 | 77.0% |
| 10 | Northfield | 12.17 | 5,487 | $161,500 | $841,446 | 80.0% |
| 11 | Highland Park | 13.33 | 30,398 | $168,094 | $751,001 | 77.0% |
| 12 | Lincolnshire | 13.33 | 7,980 | $185,580 | $714,055 | 77.0% |
| 13 | Lake Bluff | 13.50 | 6,041 | $204,000 | $633,530 | 81.0% |
| 14 | Deerfield | 13.67 | 19,518 | $181,660 | $635,444 | 82.0% |
| 15 | Inverness | 15.33 | 7,275 | $207,434 | $787,210 | 69.0% |
| 16 | Oak Brook | 16.67 | 8,056 | $175,870 | $966,776 | 67.0% |
| 17 | Northbrook | 19.00 | 34,585 | $157,782 | $688,265 | 72.0% |
| 18 | River Forest | 19.17 | 11,992 | $146,786 | $716,652 | 74.0% |
| 19 | Libertyville | 21.67 | 20,525 | $165,667 | $603,285 | 71.0% |
| 20 | Burr Ridge | 21.67 | 11,141 | $156,829 | $828,471 | 66.0% |
| 21 | Naperville | 22.67 | 150,692 | $155,105 | $610,454 | 72.0% |
| 22 | Campton Hills | 23.00 | 10,877 | $209,134 | $666,624 | 60.0% |
| 23 | La Grange | 23.33 | 15,998 | $159,929 | $639,655 | 67.0% |
| 24 | Riverside | 24.17 | 9,039 | $153,686 | $547,998 | 73.0% |
| 25 | Glenview | 25.33 | 47,752 | $143,056 | $663,147 | 69.0% |
| 26 | Barrington | 25.83 | 11,077 | $147,989 | $613,360 | 68.0% |
| 27 | Clarendon Hills | 27.67 | 8,659 | $130,388 | $666,351 | 72.0% |
| 28 | Elmhurst | 29.50 | 45,671 | $149,644 | $613,207 | 63.0% |
| 29 | Park Ridge | 31.00 | 38,667 | $142,986 | $564,905 | 66.0% |
| 30 | Glen Ellyn | 31.33 | 28,390 | $140,938 | $562,204 | 67.0% |
| 31 | Geneva | 33.00 | 21,258 | $144,341 | $532,206 | 64.0% |
| 32 | Lake Barrington | 34.00 | 5,442 | $141,958 | $534,063 | 64.0% |
| 33 | Frankfort | 35.83 | 20,651 | $154,375 | $487,132 | 59.0% |
| 34 | Lake Zurich | 39.00 | 19,832 | $135,968 | $488,103 | 61.0% |
| 35 | Buffalo Grove | 41.00 | 42,891 | $129,395 | $436,990 | 70.0% |
| 36 | Winfield | 42.67 | 10,095 | $135,795 | $456,207 | 60.0% |
| 37 | Wheaton | 43.67 | 53,557 | $120,008 | $501,273 | 64.0% |
| 38 | Vernon Hills | 43.83 | 26,876 | $121,943 | $448,031 | 68.0% |
| 39 | Oak Park | 48.17 | 53,292 | $110,820 | $458,455 | 73.0% |
| 40 | Plainfield | 48.17 | 46,708 | $144,000 | $421,481 | 55.0% |
| 41 | Arlington Heights | 49.33 | 76,005 | $116,723 | $470,945 | 61.0% |
| 42 | La Grange Park | 49.33 | 13,447 | $120,408 | $480,916 | 56.0% |
| 43 | Elburn | 49.83 | 6,354 | $127,731 | $448,721 | 55.0% |
| 44 | Downers Grove | 50.17 | 50,054 | $115,114 | $494,151 | 59.0% |
| 45 | Batavia | 52.00 | 27,151 | $120,056 | $453,319 | 56.0% |
| 46 | Lincolnwood | 54.83 | 13,112 | $109,731 | $542,075 | 57.0% |
| 47 | Lemont | 55.33 | 17,820 | $123,370 | $565,404 | 47.0% |
| 48 | New Lenox | 56.17 | 28,006 | $140,865 | $440,656 | 49.0% |
| 49 | Gilberts | 56.67 | 8,606 | $146,333 | $409,641 | 50.0% |
| 50 | Bartlett | 58.33 | 40,501 | $133,240 | $430,326 | 50.0% |
| 51 | St. Charles | 58.50 | 32,854 | $114,300 | $463,142 | 53.0% |
| 52 | Volo | 61.83 | 6,706 | $160,792 | $366,347 | 52.0% |
| 53 | Darien | 63.17 | 21,879 | $111,215 | $449,623 | 53.0% |
| 54 | Itasca | 63.67 | 9,355 | $114,294 | $443,025 | 52.0% |
| 55 | Lisle | 64.33 | 23,407 | $107,479 | $425,025 | 62.0% |
| 56 | Sugar Grove | 64.33 | 9,240 | $121,207 | $445,737 | 47.0% |
| 57 | Evanston | 65.33 | 76,340 | $96,434 | $470,774 | 69.0% |
| 58 | Morton Grove | 65.50 | 24,619 | $111,116 | $430,051 | 54.0% |
| 59 | Homer Glen | 65.83 | 24,529 | $136,678 | $505,179 | 40.0% |
| 60 | Flossmoor | 67.67 | 9,391 | $133,663 | $327,346 | 65.0% |
| 61 | Spring Grove | 68.50 | 5,917 | $134,210 | $406,655 | 45.0% |
| 62 | Gurnee | 68.83 | 30,510 | $119,628 | $368,528 | 57.0% |
| 63 | Mokena | 69.67 | 20,021 | $123,889 | $443,959 | 43.0% |
| 64 | Lake Villa | 70.67 | 8,683 | $118,750 | $370,654 | 55.0% |
| 65 | Oswego | 71.00 | 36,375 | $123,792 | $416,738 | 44.0% |
| 66 | Algonquin | 71.67 | 30,067 | $134,525 | $406,940 | 43.0% |
| 67 | Grayslake | 74.67 | 20,929 | $113,972 | $361,376 | 58.0% |
| 68 | Lindenhurst | 79.17 | 14,417 | $131,474 | $347,218 | 48.0% |
| 69 | West Dundee | 79.67 | 7,906 | $105,368 | $411,113 | 50.0% |
| 70 | Mount Prospect | 80.50 | 55,472 | $101,720 | $433,814 | 49.0% |
| 71 | Mahomet | 80.50 | 10,049 | $118,586 | $339,545 | 54.0% |
| 72 | Shorewood | 81.83 | 18,343 | $122,105 | $403,278 | 41.0% |
| 73 | Skokie | 84.83 | 66,219 | $95,337 | $413,078 | 54.0% |
| 74 | Hoffman Estates | 84.83 | 51,175 | $106,806 | $394,618 | 48.0% |
| 75 | Bloomingdale | 87.17 | 22,457 | $102,928 | $428,844 | 45.0% |
| 76 | Lombard | 88.50 | 43,619 | $100,362 | $380,912 | 51.0% |
| 77 | Highwood | 88.50 | 5,301 | $107,875 | $467,497 | 39.0% |
| 78 | Woodridge | 88.67 | 33,941 | $101,000 | $404,092 | 47.0% |
| 79 | Mundelein | 88.67 | 31,915 | $108,340 | $380,533 | 46.0% |
| 80 | North Aurora | 89.17 | 18,696 | $114,305 | $395,208 | 41.0% |
| 81 | Palos Heights | 89.33 | 12,152 | $108,740 | $389,153 | 44.0% |
| 82 | Cary | 89.83 | 17,923 | $113,026 | $368,573 | 45.0% |
| 83 | Lockport | 92.00 | 26,409 | $111,981 | $360,599 | 45.0% |
| 84 | Manhattan | 93.17 | 11,026 | $128,522 | $385,490 | 35.0% |
| 85 | Pingree Grove | 93.17 | 10,914 | $114,294 | $369,702 | 43.0% |
| 86 | South Elgin | 94.67 | 24,217 | $127,203 | $366,632 | 38.0% |
| 87 | Columbia | 95.00 | 11,127 | $107,606 | $342,742 | 50.0% |
| 88 | Palatine | 95.67 | 66,293 | $97,819 | $375,855 | 50.0% |
| 89 | Orland Park | 95.67 | 57,916 | $98,910 | $397,472 | 46.0% |
| 90 | Roselle | 96.17 | 22,752 | $111,318 | $374,678 | 41.0% |
| 91 | Yorkville | 97.50 | 23,617 | $108,513 | $399,862 | 39.0% |
| 92 | Westmont | 98.83 | 23,724 | $88,090 | $400,412 | 51.0% |
| 93 | Savoy | 98.83 | 8,968 | $91,966 | $345,247 | 63.0% |
| 94 | Crystal Lake | 99.83 | 40,579 | $108,418 | $374,460 | 41.0% |
| 95 | Troy | 100.00 | 11,647 | $112,434 | $324,854 | 46.0% |
| 96 | Schaumburg | 101.83 | 76,868 | $97,514 | $349,953 | 51.0% |
| 97 | Lake in the Hills | 102.17 | 28,800 | $117,151 | $369,917 | 36.0% |
| 98 | Carol Stream | 102.83 | 39,460 | $102,309 | $377,328 | 42.0% |
| 99 | Brookfield | 103.17 | 19,331 | $110,295 | $345,445 | 42.0% |
| 100 | O’Fallon | 104.50 | 32,262 | $105,982 | $308,471 | 52.0% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, Zillow research. 323 places with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
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. Not sold on Illinois? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Snobbiest Places In Illinois FAQs
What is the snobbiest city in Illinois?
Winnetka is the snobbiest place in Illinois for 2026. The median household income there is $250,001, the median home costs $1,818,305, and 86.0% of adults hold a college degree.
What are the snobbiest places in Illinois?
The snobbiest places in Illinois are Winnetka, Glencoe, Hinsdale, Lake Forest, Western Springs, Wilmette, Long Grove, South Barrington, Hawthorn Woods, and Northfield. We ranked all 323 places with more than 5,000 residents on incomes, home prices, and college degrees.
What makes a place snobby?
Money and diplomas, mostly. Our Snob Score combines median income, median home value, and the share of adults with a college degree; places that rank high on all three earn the title.
How rich are people in the snobbiest parts of Illinois?
Every place in the Illinois top ten posts a median household income of at least $161,500, against a statewide median of $83,390. Homes across the top ten run $1,034,774, versus $285,736 statewide.
What is the most laid-back place in Illinois?
Harvey lands at the other end of the Snob Score, making it the most laid-back place in Illinois by our measure. No pretension detected.
