Best Cities for Young Professionals in Illinois
Illinois ranks #42 of 50 for young professionals, with a young professionals score of 41.6. Wheaton is its best city for young professionals at 67.4.
- Illinois, all states
- #42 of 50
- Population
- 53,557
What Young Professionals Should Know About Illinois
Illinois ranks #42 out of 50 for young professionals, suggesting some tradeoffs for career-focused relocators. The state's economy scores 40/100, though with 4.6% unemployment and a median household income of $83,211. Modest population growth of 0.13% suggests a stable but not booming market.
For young professionals, the equation comes down to earning potential versus cost of living. With a cost-of-living index of 100, expenses are near the national norm — what you earn is roughly what you keep. Growth metrics are moderate, so career advancement may depend more on specific industries than broad market expansion.
Beyond the paycheck, livability matters. Illinois's livability score of 31/100 is modest, which may matter to young professionals who value nightlife, dining, and cultural events. Transportation is car-dependent in most areas (score: 54/100), which is worth factoring into housing location decisions.
All 29 Cities Ranked for Young Professionals
| # City | Grade | Young Professionals score | Overall | Economy | Growth | Walkability | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Wheaton | A+ | 67.4 | 72.0 | 74 | 55 | 59 | 53,557 |
| 2Naperville | A+ | 66.3 | 73.2 | 87 | 46 | 46 | 150,692 |
| 3Arlington Heights | A+ | 65.0 | 70.8 | 72 | 50 | 52 | 76,005 |
| 4Oak Park | A+ | 63.3 | 69.2 | 67 | 37 | 77 | 53,292 |
| 5Skokie | A+ | 63.3 | 68.7 | 60 | 51 | 79 | 66,219 |
| 6Evanston | A+ | 63.0 | 69.6 | 60 | 39 | 77 | 76,340 |
| 7Mount Prospect | A+ | 62.7 | 69.2 | 67 | 41 | 63 | 55,472 |
| 8Des Plaines | A+ | 60.7 | 69.4 | 62 | 39 | 68 | 59,156 |
| 9Hoffman Estates | A+ | 60.2 | 68.0 | 67 | 41 | 47 | 51,175 |
| 10Bloomington | B+ | 60.1 | 62.2 | 54 | 40 | 66 | 78,907 |
| 11Schaumburg | A | 60.0 | 67.0 | 63 | 43 | 51 | 76,868 |
| 12Palatine | A | 59.4 | 66.5 | 63 | 40 | 48 | 66,293 |
| 13Tinley Park | A | 59.0 | 65.7 | 65 | 46 | 49 | 54,842 |
| 14Orland Park | A | 58.5 | 65.3 | 63 | 40 | 52 | 57,916 |
| 15Champaign | B+ | 58.5 | 59.6 | 44 | 47 | 71 | 89,996 |
| 16Bolingbrook | A | 56.8 | 63.8 | 65 | 40 | 48 | 74,096 |
| 17Aurora | B+ | 56.7 | 60.4 | 57 | 42 | 54 | 179,898 |
| 18Normal | B | 56.6 | 57.7 | 48 | 42 | 59 | 53,569 |
| 19Oak Lawn | B+ | 56.2 | 61.7 | 51 | 36 | 67 | 56,861 |
| 20Chicago | B | 56.0 | 58.7 | 49 | 40 | 71 | 2,711,226 |
| 21Berwyn | B+ | 55.7 | 60.5 | 48 | 35 | 70 | 55,595 |
| 22Elgin | B+ | 55.0 | 59.4 | 49 | 39 | 62 | 114,934 |
| 23Cicero | B | 54.0 | 58.0 | 46 | 35 | 72 | 82,797 |
| 24Joliet | B | 51.7 | 56.6 | 52 | 38 | 52 | 150,445 |
| 25Springfield | C | 49.7 | 51.1 | 44 | 38 | 60 | 113,330 |
| 26Waukegan | C+ | 49.4 | 55.0 | 41 | 32 | 62 | 89,076 |
| 27Peoria | D | 47.1 | 46.5 | 37 | 36 | 61 | 112,169 |
| 28Rockford | F | 42.0 | 42.5 | 32 | 36 | 35 | 147,521 |
| 29Decatur | F | 41.5 | 41.9 | 28 | 24 | 35 | 69,815 |
City young professionals 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 Young Professionals Rankings
Also See: Illinois for Other Lifestyles
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Illinois a good state for young professionals?
Illinois ranks #42 out of 50 for young professionals with a persona-weighted score of 41.6/100. Its strongest relevant category is Safety (73/100) and its weakest is Growth (20/100).
What is the best city for young professionals in Illinois?
Wheaton ranks #1 in Illinois for young professionals with a score of 67.4/100, followed by Naperville and Arlington Heights.
What factors are most important for young professionals in Illinois?
Rankings weighted toward job market strength, economic growth, affordable living, transportation, and vibrant community life — the factors that attract ambitious young professionals.