2016’s Best & Worst Cities for Illinois Families
4.7K
Shares
Rubbing Abe Lincoln’s “lucky” nose might bring good fortune in Illinois, but the Prairie State already offers plenty of incentives for families or those looking to put down roots.
For starters, Illinois boasts the fifth-largest state economy by GDP. Even with the notably high outward migration rates among residents over the years, this Midwestern state continues to prove its economic resilience. Pair that with rising home values, one of the top 10 school systems in the U.S. and a prestigious roster of employers that includes 34 of the Fortune 500 companies, and the combination yields a gratifying quality of life.
Granted, the Land of Lincoln is no paradise by any stretch of the word. The winters can be harsh — really harsh. But if your New Year’s resolution is to spend more time with family anyway, you can bet on ample indoor opportunities with the kids. Hopefully the additional cash you’ll be able to play with will compensate for the lack of outdoor fun. The state’s median family income stands at $71,796, which is nearly $6,000 more than the median family income in the U.S.
To identify the Illinois cities that hold the most promise for your clan, WalletHub’s analysts compared 162 cities in the state across 21 key indicators of ideal family conditions. Our data set ranges from the percentage of families with young children to median family income to housing affordability. Scroll down for the results, additional expert commentary and a detailed methodology.
1 Main Findings 2 Ask the Experts
Main Findings
<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = "[default] http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" NS = "http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" />11162162
162
<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/18426/geochart-illinois.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-cities-for-families-in-illinois/18426/">WalletHub</a></div>
Overall Rank
City
Total Score
‘Family Life & Fun’ Rank
‘Education, Health & Safety’ Rank
‘Affordability’ Rank
‘Socioeconomic Environment’ Rank
1
Morton, IL
72.67
12
7
9
9
2
Deerfield, IL
72.08
7
40
1
6
3
Washington, IL
69.88
8
25
12
12
4
Libertyville, IL
69.76
47
27
3
4
5
O'Fallon, IL
69.25
39
29
2
69
6
Hinsdale, IL
69.04
41
19
4
33
7
Cary, IL
68.51
97
9
5
17
8
Lake in the Hills, IL
68.01
21
4
44
52
9
Frankfort, IL
67.23
19
47
21
5
10
Naperville, IL
66.94
53
53
11
8
11
Yorkville, IL
66.55
11
35
31
51
12
Edwardsville, IL
66.50
54
44
6
54
13
Elmhurst, IL
66.24
13
50
40
21
14
Oswego, IL
65.87
45
80
22
25
15
Lake Zurich, IL
65.54
70
76
10
14
16
Batavia, IL
65.34
78
77
8
47
17
Lake Forest, IL
65.30
85
10
14
30
18
Glen Ellyn, IL
64.65
50
58
20
46
19
Normal, IL
64.56
52
39
15
71
20
Grayslake, IL
64.53
44
48
23
45
21
La Grange, IL
64.48
20
51
35
44
22
Algonquin, IL
64.31
129
43
7
26
23
Bartlett, IL
64.24
98
49
43
11
24
Shorewood, IL
64.21
99
22
28
29
25
Montgomery, IL
64.07
3
23
63
86
26
Wilmette, IL
64.03
93
78
27
18
27
Vernon Hills, IL
64.02
26
62
54
27
28
St. Charles, IL
64.00
113
59
16
39
29
New Lenox, IL
63.97
67
68
29
22
30
Wheaton, IL
63.97
74
31
45
23
31
Buffalo Grove, IL
63.77
120
26
17
31
32
Crystal Lake, IL
63.58
64
63
34
60
33
Plainfield, IL
63.48
65
82
13
49
34
Northbrook, IL
63.14
119
38
32
19
35
South Elgin, IL
63.11
46
61
24
63
36
Glenview, IL
63.05
75
34
67
10
37
Geneva, IL
62.97
94
32
36
13
38
Bloomington, IL
62.91
48
70
19
77
39
Lockport, IL
62.59
88
88
29
41
40
Woodridge, IL
62.34
83
30
46
36
41
Mokena, IL
62.19
140
79
25
7
42
Oak Park, IL
61.96
5
99
51
72
43
Carol Stream, IL
61.70
111
15
68
55
44
Highland Park, IL
61.60
135
66
18
32
45
Lemont, IL
61.59
118
57
69
3
46
Huntley, IL
61.42
156
6
52
2
47
Gurnee, IL
60.68
27
120
41
68
48
Homer Glen, IL
60.63
157
5
73
1
49
Bourbonnais, IL
60.55
38
56
78
84
50
Mundelein, IL
60.40
106
12
82
43
51
Downers Grove, IL
60.25
138
75
39
24
52
Round Lake, IL
59.94
43
74
65
81
53
Oak Forest, IL
59.81
130
41
57
73
54
Macomb, IL
59.79
16
1
61
149
55
Quincy, IL
59.75
56
24
71
103
56
Arlington Heights, IL
59.74
134
42
76
16
57
Godfrey, IL
59.52
153
73
42
59
58
Jacksonville, IL
59.51
55
33
55
124
T-59
Palatine, IL
59.49
60
71
98
66
T-59
Bradley, IL
59.49
28
87
84
75
61
Roselle, IL
59.33
96
8
100
35
62
Park Ridge, IL
59.31
107
72
87
20
63
Hanover Park, IL
59.23
6
28
118
108
64
North Aurora, IL
59.07
68
94
66
62
65
Hoffman Estates, IL
58.99
121
60
77
37
66
McHenry, IL
58.76
89
55
72
53
67
Woodstock, IL
58.67
49
36
108
102
68
Mount Prospect, IL
58.48
90
21
126
15
69
Sterling, IL
58.33
33
69
79
115
70
Brookfield, IL
58.26
105
18
85
87
71
Pekin, IL
58.00
63
37
83
120
72
West Chicago, IL
57.68
4
110
122
79
73
Orland Park, IL
57.67
158
96
53
28
74
Sycamore, IL
57.40
109
84
58
97
75
Round Lake Beach, IL
57.31
10
108
110
80
76
Charleston, IL
57.30
51
2
132
127
77
Schaumburg, IL
57.10
132
90
96
50
78
Springfield, IL
56.95
14
138
38
121
79
Ottawa, IL
56.80
84
16
101
118
80
Machesney Park, IL
56.78
136
3
89
116
81
East Peoria, IL
56.77
115
81
49
88
82
Streamwood, IL
56.77
126
64
97
76
83
Bolingbrook, IL
56.74
66
109
75
82
84
Darien, IL
56.59
151
67
86
38
85
Rolling Meadows, IL
56.46
86
13
124
85
86
Marion, IL
56.38
104
89
48
114
87
Evanston, IL
56.32
77
102
81
83
88
Champaign, IL
56.32
59
114
56
109
89
Tinley Park, IL
56.27
144
100
50
58
90
Moline, IL
56.24
32
137
62
104
91
Homewood, IL
56.05
124
107
33
113
92
Villa Park, IL
55.90
91
65
117
61
93
Lombard, IL
55.79
133
95
99
42
94
Elk Grove Village, IL
55.68
116
86
103
65
95
Mattoon, IL
55.63
34
11
93
146
96
Loves Park, IL
55.55
79
97
74
93
97
Lisle, IL
55.00
101
139
60
40
98
Romeoville, IL
54.96
25
140
95
98
99
Aurora, IL
54.73
35
118
109
99
100
Carpentersville, IL
54.72
9
91
144
101
101
Joliet, IL
54.31
22
125
104
111
102
Freeport, IL
54.07
103
52
91
132
103
Fairview Heights, IL
54.05
154
133
37
95
104
Westmont, IL
53.83
142
46
138
70
105
Morton Grove, IL
53.46
160
14
131
34
106
Collinsville, IL
53.37
123
127
80
117
107
Evergreen Park, IL
53.37
137
116
64
105
108
Westchester, IL
53.19
159
45
112
56
109
Elgin, IL
53.18
42
122
121
100
110
Des Plaines, IL
53.09
148
92
115
48
111
Prospect Heights, IL
53.04
108
20
153
64
112
Galesburg, IL
53.00
73
119
92
131
113
Rock Island, IL
52.25
29
115
107
143
114
Wheeling, IL
51.71
122
104
134
74
115
Glendale Heights, IL
51.68
114
101
129
91
116
Urbana, IL
51.64
92
85
114
125
117
Belvidere, IL
51.37
82
134
111
110
118
East Moline, IL
51.33
58
111
120
128
119
Peoria, IL
51.17
40
136
90
138
120
Burbank, IL
51.07
143
83
142
90
121
Bloomingdale, IL
50.80
162
106
106
67
122
Belleville, IL
50.65
69
153
59
139
123
Oak Lawn, IL
50.48
155
113
116
94
124
DeKalb, IL
50.30
17
131
135
130
125
Palos Hills, IL
50.24
161
17
140
92
126
Decatur, IL
50.05
95
126
88
136
127
Addison, IL
49.93
71
112
154
96
128
Skokie, IL
49.90
152
93
137
78
129
Matteson, IL
49.36
147
149
26
141
130
Crest Hill, IL
49.20
131
103
125
112
131
Alsip, IL
49.09
102
105
130
126
132
Elmwood Park, IL
48.97
146
98
145
89
133
Zion, IL
48.47
18
146
123
135
134
Park Forest, IL
48.25
100
124
70
155
135
Mount Vernon, IL
48.07
30
148
94
144
136
Niles, IL
47.87
149
117
151
57
137
South Holland, IL
47.70
150
128
102
137
138
Berwyn, IL
47.37
76
129
147
123
139
Granite City, IL
47.32
141
155
47
142
140
Melrose Park, IL
47.25
24
123
161
122
141
Waukegan, IL
47.09
23
135
150
134
142
Franklin Park, IL
46.33
110
147
133
107
143
Carbondale, IL
46.27
2
54
156
159
144
Alton, IL
45.68
62
132
136
151
145
Cicero, IL
45.60
31
130
158
133
146
Bensenville, IL
44.83
80
154
143
106
147
Bellwood, IL
44.81
112
121
127
153
148
Danville, IL
44.71
36
152
105
152
149
Rockford, IL
44.17
81
141
128
148
150
Lansing, IL
43.77
139
156
113
129
151
North Chicago, IL
43.43
1
159
157
145
152
Chicago Heights, IL
42.77
57
144
139
154
153
Country Club Hills, IL
42.67
128
145
119
150
154
Chicago, IL
41.49
61
143
160
140
155
Kankakee, IL
41.14
15
142
155
156
156
Calumet City, IL
40.14
37
150
146
158
157
Bridgeview, IL
38.09
125
161
148
119
158
Blue Island, IL
37.18
87
158
149
147
159
Maywood, IL
36.80
127
151
152
157
160
Dolton, IL
30.11
145
162
141
160
161
Harvey, IL
26.05
117
157
159
161
162
East St. Louis, IL
20.84
72
160
162
162
Above city scorings are from: https://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-cities-for-families-in-illinois/18426/
No comments:
Post a Comment