Best Cities for Remote Workers in Illinois
Illinois ranks #48 of 50 for remote workers, with a remote workers score of 31.9. Naperville is its best city for remote workers at 69.1.
- Illinois, all states
- #48 of 50
- Population
- 150,692
What Remote Workers Should Know About Illinois
Illinois ranks #48 out of 50 for remote workers — a state where remote workers may face some headwinds. Remote work fundamentally changes the relocation calculus: when your salary comes from elsewhere, what matters is how far it stretches locally and how good daily life feels. Illinois's cost of living (index: 100) is near the national average, so a remote salary doesn't gain or lose much purchasing power here.
The high work-from-home rate of 13.6% suggests an established remote work culture with coworking spaces and digital infrastructure already in place. 92.9% of households have a broadband subscription, at or above the 50-state average, so home internet is widely adopted.
The 10.22% tax burden is above average, which can offset some of the cost-of-living advantages for higher-earning remote professionals. Housing affordability (score: 62/100) is adequate — the typical home is worth $297,573, putting homeownership well within reach.
All 29 Cities Ranked for Remote Workers
| # City | Grade | Remote Workers score | Overall | Affordability | Economy | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Naperville | A+ | 69.1 | 73.2 | 50 | 87 | 150,692 |
| 2Wheaton | A+ | 68.7 | 72.0 | 55 | 74 | 53,557 |
| 3Arlington Heights | A+ | 63.6 | 70.8 | 57 | 72 | 76,005 |
| 4Bloomington | B+ | 63.1 | 62.2 | 80 | 54 | 78,907 |
| 5Mount Prospect | A+ | 62.6 | 69.2 | 61 | 67 | 55,472 |
| 6Oak Park | A+ | 61.8 | 69.2 | 57 | 67 | 53,292 |
| 7Des Plaines | A+ | 61.7 | 69.4 | 62 | 62 | 59,156 |
| 8Bolingbrook | A | 61.6 | 63.8 | 61 | 65 | 74,096 |
| 9Skokie | A+ | 61.5 | 68.7 | 61 | 60 | 66,219 |
| 10Aurora | B+ | 61.3 | 60.4 | 65 | 57 | 179,898 |
| 11Tinley Park | A | 61.1 | 65.7 | 65 | 65 | 54,842 |
| 12Elgin | B+ | 60.8 | 59.4 | 68 | 49 | 114,934 |
| 13Hoffman Estates | A+ | 60.5 | 68.0 | 60 | 67 | 51,175 |
| 14Evanston | A+ | 59.9 | 69.6 | 54 | 60 | 76,340 |
| 15Schaumburg | A | 59.8 | 67.0 | 60 | 63 | 76,868 |
| 16Orland Park | A | 59.8 | 65.3 | 63 | 63 | 57,916 |
| 17Palatine | A | 59.7 | 66.5 | 62 | 63 | 66,293 |
| 18Oak Lawn | B+ | 58.6 | 61.7 | 68 | 51 | 56,861 |
| 19Joliet | B | 58.3 | 56.6 | 69 | 52 | 150,445 |
| 20Normal | B | 58.2 | 57.7 | 81 | 48 | 53,569 |
| 21Berwyn | B+ | 57.6 | 60.5 | 68 | 48 | 55,595 |
| 22Champaign | B+ | 56.7 | 59.6 | 80 | 44 | 89,996 |
| 23Waukegan | C+ | 56.7 | 55.0 | 73 | 41 | 89,076 |
| 24Cicero | B | 56.5 | 58.0 | 71 | 46 | 82,797 |
| 25Chicago | B | 54.7 | 58.7 | 64 | 49 | 2,711,226 |
| 26Springfield | C | 54.3 | 51.1 | 83 | 44 | 113,330 |
| 27Peoria | D | 51.3 | 46.5 | 84 | 37 | 112,169 |
| 28Decatur | F | 48.2 | 41.9 | 90 | 28 | 69,815 |
| 29Rockford | F | 47.9 | 42.5 | 85 | 32 | 147,521 |
City remote workers 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.
Compare: States with Similar Remote Workers Rankings
Also See: Illinois for Other Lifestyles
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Illinois a good state for remote workers?
Illinois ranks #48 out of 50 for remote workers with a persona-weighted score of 31.9/100. Its strongest relevant category is Safety (73/100) and its weakest is Outdoor Access (6/100).
What is the best city for remote workers in Illinois?
Naperville ranks #1 in Illinois for remote workers with a score of 69.1/100, followed by Wheaton and Arlington Heights.
What factors are most important for remote workers in Illinois?
Rankings weighted toward affordable cost of living, strong economy, outdoor access, livability, low taxes, and safe communities — what remote workers prioritize when choosing where to live.