Best Cities for Families in Illinois
Illinois ranks #23 of 50 for families, with a families score of 66.1. Naperville is its best city for families at 73.7.
- Illinois, all states
- #23 of 50
- Population
- 150,692
Illinois for Families: The Full Picture
Illinois lands in the middle of the pack for families at #23 out of 50 states. The state has genuine strengths — safety scores strong at 73/100 — but also areas that may give parents pause. The 87.3% high school graduation rate leaves room for improvement, and a typical home value of $297,573 keeps homeownership within reach.
Education is the single most important factor for families choosing where to live, and Illinois shows mixed results on this front. The state's high school graduation rate stands at 87.3%, roughly in line with national norms. School quality has been a consistent strength, reflected in an education score of 66/100. At $19,601 a year for center-based infant care, childcare is a significant budget item that families need to plan for.
Safety is the other pillar of family-friendly living. Illinois performs reasonably well, with a violent crime rate below the 50-state average at 251 incidents per 100,000 residents (FBI estimate). With a cost-of-living index of 100, household expenses are close to the national norm — neither a major advantage nor a dealbreaker.
All 29 Cities Ranked for Families
| # City | Grade | Families score | Overall | Education | Safety | Affordability | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Naperville | A+ | 73.7 | 73.2 | 72 | 98 | 50 | 150,692 |
| 2Des Plaines | A+ | 73.1 | 69.4 | 95 | 94 | 62 | 59,156 |
| 3Wheaton | A+ | 72.7 | 72.0 | 68 | 100 | 55 | 53,557 |
| 4Skokie | A+ | 72.4 | 68.7 | 93 | 79 | 61 | 66,219 |
| 5Evanston | A+ | 72.3 | 69.6 | 96 | 82 | 54 | 76,340 |
| 6Mount Prospect | A+ | 72.1 | 69.2 | 79 | 98 | 61 | 55,472 |
| 7Hoffman Estates | A+ | 71.6 | 68.0 | 81 | 97 | 60 | 51,175 |
| 8Arlington Heights | A+ | 71.3 | 70.8 | 77 | 98 | 57 | 76,005 |
| 9Oak Park | A+ | 71.1 | 69.2 | 91 | 70 | 57 | 53,292 |
| 10Schaumburg | A | 69.9 | 67.0 | 79 | 91 | 60 | 76,868 |
| 11Palatine | A | 69.1 | 66.5 | 78 | 96 | 62 | 66,293 |
| 12Bolingbrook | A | 68.7 | 63.8 | 81 | 88 | 61 | 74,096 |
| 13Orland Park | A | 68.6 | 65.3 | 73 | 96 | 63 | 57,916 |
| 14Tinley Park | A | 68.0 | 65.7 | 76 | 93 | 65 | 54,842 |
| 15Bloomington | B+ | 67.2 | 62.2 | 65 | 77 | 80 | 78,907 |
| 16Oak Lawn | B+ | 66.9 | 61.7 | 70 | 92 | 68 | 56,861 |
| 17Champaign | B+ | 65.6 | 59.6 | 77 | 68 | 80 | 89,996 |
| 18Berwyn | B+ | 65.3 | 60.5 | 71 | 85 | 68 | 55,595 |
| 19Aurora | B+ | 65.1 | 60.4 | 59 | 85 | 65 | 179,898 |
| 20Elgin | B+ | 64.6 | 59.4 | 60 | 86 | 68 | 114,934 |
| 21Cicero | B | 64.2 | 58.0 | 71 | 85 | 71 | 82,797 |
| 22Normal | B | 63.9 | 57.7 | 61 | 77 | 81 | 53,569 |
| 23Joliet | B | 63.0 | 56.6 | 68 | 77 | 69 | 150,445 |
| 24Waukegan | C+ | 61.7 | 55.0 | 74 | 72 | 73 | 89,076 |
| 25Chicago | B | 61.6 | 58.7 | 80 | 59 | 64 | 2,711,226 |
| 26Springfield | C | 56.0 | 51.1 | 79 | 20 | 83 | 113,330 |
| 27Peoria | D | 53.1 | 46.5 | 61 | 15 | 84 | 112,169 |
| 28Decatur | F | 49.2 | 41.9 | 43 | 45 | 90 | 69,815 |
| 29Rockford | F | 48.9 | 42.5 | 58 | 32 | 85 | 147,521 |
City families scores use each city's own data, with the category weights rescaled over the categories the city has; outdoor access has no city-level measure and is left out. City scores for families also weigh the county's expected yearly building losses from natural hazards (FEMA), lower is better; the share of adults without health insurance (CDC PLACES), lower is better; the share of households with someone under 18 (Census ACS), higher is better.
Compare: States with Similar Families Rankings
Also See: Illinois for Other Lifestyles
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Illinois a good state for families?
Illinois ranks #23 out of 50 for families with a persona-weighted score of 66.1/100. Its strongest relevant category is Safety (73/100) and its weakest is Outdoor Access (6/100).
What is the best city for families in Illinois?
Naperville ranks #1 in Illinois for families with a score of 73.7/100, followed by Des Plaines and Wheaton.
What factors are most important for families in Illinois?
Rankings weighted toward education quality, public safety, affordable housing, healthcare, and community livability — the factors that matter most to families with children.