Six Illinois Cities Rank Among Best Places to Live in U.S.

Illinois Cities Rank Among Best Places to Live in America

A new best places to live list is making all kinds of news in the Midwest because it’s more than just traditional stuff; it’s essentially a middle-class survival guide for anyone looking for affordable, high-quality living.

What Makes a City One of the Best Places to Live

At the end of the day, that is all of us, and even more so when it comes to folks who live in Illinois. Right? We just want a slice of the good life, and it turns out some of the best places to live in America just so happen to be in the Land of Lincoln.

When it comes to the 100 best places to live in America list, Livability highlighted 100 small- to mid-sized US cities, and to qualify, the average home value must be under $500,000, and the population must range from 75,000 to 500,000.

READ MORE: These Illinois Cities Offer the Best Quality of Life Right Now

How Livability Ranked the Top 100 Cities

This allowed Livability to focus on towns and communities that are big enough to offer features and amenities we all value, but small enough to avoid the headaches of big-city living.

Some of the factors included cost of living, safety, job opportunities, and local amenities.

Naperville Leads Illinois Cities on the List

Huntsville, Alabama, surprised me and landed in the #1 spot, but Illinois was well represented on the list, with Naperville ranked highest at #4.

Full List of Illinois Cities Ranked

Evanston
Bloomington
Aurora
Champaign
Peoria

READ MORE: Most Affordable Places to Live in Illinois Right Now

Why Rockford Missed the Top 100

Rockford did not make the list of 100, unfortunately, but you’d have to believe it’s going to be close. The biggest takeaway from the list is that the cities where people feel their money goes furthest and their lives seem more manageable are the ones featured way up at the top.

It’s the American dream, and for towns like Naperville, you can live it in Illinois.