Illinois cities and towns

Imagine living in a place where crime is virtually nonexistent. Sounds like a dream, right? Some Illinois towns are making that dream a reality.

We know all about the wealth that can be found in the bigger cities, but what about shining a spotlight on the smaller, quieter towns in Illinois that are doing real well for themselves? A new study takes a look at Illinois' wealthiest small town, along with the wealthiest small towns in our neighboring states and across the country.

When a poll says that nearly 50 percent of Illinois residents would leave the state if they could, you might get the idea that Illinois doesn't have any places that would make the list of the country's best places to live. Well, there are 10 cities in Illinois that might beg to differ with you on that.

Back in the day, it was pretty easy to name the two largest cities in Illinois. You had Chicago, then way behind in 2nd place you had Rockford. According to US Census estimates, Chicago is number-one, but the order of the nine cities behind it in population has been shifting around quite a bit.

We've looked at some of Illinois' cutest towns, most romantic towns, most scenic towns, even Illinois' most Christmassy towns. Now, let's see some off-the-grid Illinois towns the pros at a well-regarded travel site think very highly of.

Not only do these four cities have the highest property taxes in the entire nation, Illinois cities actually hold 5 out of the 6 spots for overall highest property taxes. Looking at the numbers, it's not surprising that Illinois is usually at the top, or near the top, of states that are losing population year after year.

Look, if you just have to steal something, aren't there lots of things a whole lot lighter to take than a manhole cover? Even though there are, thieves in one Illinois city are just after manhole covers, and the city's police are asking citizen for help.

Feeling and being safe is not the absolute most important thing in life, but it's right near the top of the list. If wherever you live in Illinois leaves you feeling less than safe, here are the 10 best options if you're willing to relocate within the state.

Niche.com's annual look at the Best Places To Live In America was just released on Monday, and 6 different Illinois cities landed on the list in varying spots. Take a guess at which cities from Illinois got the best reviews, then read on to see if you're right.

The gang at HGTV know a thing or two about great places to live, so they decided to name the top 50 most charming small towns in America, giving some recognition to one small town in each state. If you've spent any amount of time in Illinois, you might think Galena would be their choice...but it's not.