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Best Cities for Families in Illinois

Strong schools, low crime, affordable homes and family-friendly commutes.

Retirees Remote Workers Families Young Professionals Affordability All Rankings →
All United States  ·  Illinois

How We Score

Each metric is normalized 0-100 across U.S. cities, then weighted and summed. Cities missing any metric are excluded.

Schools · 25% Safety · 20% Home Affordability · 15% Low Poverty · 10% Jobs · 10% Short Commute · 10% Education · 10%

Top 12 Families Cities in Illinois

Ranked by composite score across 7 weighted metrics.

#1
Score 88.4
Metamora, IL
4,094 residents
Schools 6.6
Safety 57/100K
Home Affordability $209,800
#2
Score 86.3
Germantown Hills, IL
3,425 residents
Schools 6.6
Safety 57/100K
Home Affordability $265,300
#3
Score 86.3
Red Bud, IL
3,789 residents
Schools 6.9
Safety 228/100K
Home Affordability $170,300
#4
Score 85.3
Itasca, IL
9,525 residents
Schools 6.7
Safety 80/100K
Home Affordability $375,600
#5
Score 85
Wheaton, IL
53,453 residents
Schools 6.7
Safety 83/100K
Home Affordability $447,700
#6
Score 84.9
Waterloo, IL
11,055 residents
Schools 6.9
Safety 89/100K
Home Affordability $237,900
#7
Score 84.5
Winfield, IL
9,982 residents
Schools 6.7
Safety 0/100K
Home Affordability $363,400
#8
Score 84.2
Bartlett, IL
40,531 residents
Schools 6.7
Safety 56/100K
Home Affordability $350,500
#9
Score 84.2
Lisle, IL
23,413 residents
Schools 6.7
Safety 38/100K
Home Affordability $407,000
#10
Score 84
Roanoke, IL
1,987 residents
Schools 6.6
Safety 185/100K
Home Affordability $139,800
#11
Score 83.6
Millstadt, IL
4,013 residents
Schools 6.9
Safety 414/100K
Home Affordability $205,400
#12
Score 83.6
Downers Grove, IL
49,867 residents
Schools 6.7
Safety 93/100K
Home Affordability $439,000

Full Ranking, Illinois

Top 50 cities. Click any city to see its full profile.

1 Metamora IL 88.4
2 Germantown Hills IL 86.3
3 Red Bud IL 86.3
4 Itasca IL 85.3
5 Wheaton IL 85
6 Waterloo IL 84.9
7 Winfield IL 84.5
8 Bartlett IL 84.2
9 Lisle IL 84.2
10 Roanoke IL 84
11 Millstadt IL 83.6
12 Downers Grove IL 83.6
13 Valmeyer IL 83.5
14 Lombard IL 83.5
15 Naperville IL 83.4
16 Warrenville IL 83.2
17 Galena IL 82.9
18 Bloomingdale IL 82.7
19 Glen Ellyn IL 82.7
20 Carol Stream IL 82.7
21 Third Lake IL 82.4
22 Woodridge IL 82.1
23 Downs IL 82
24 Hudson IL 81.4
25 Glendale Heights IL 81.4
26 Breese IL 81.2
27 Roselle IL 81.1
28 Aviston IL 81
29 Germantown IL 80.9
30 Normal IL 80.8
31 The Galena Territory IL 80.8
32 Bolingbrook IL 80.7
33 Eureka IL 80.6
34 Trenton IL 80.6
35 Lockport IL 80.6
36 Libertyville IL 80.4
37 Aurora IL 80.4
38 Clinton IL 80.4
39 Teutopolis IL 80.3
40 Deerfield IL 80.1
41 Bloomington IL 80.1
42 Buffalo Grove IL 80
43 Minonk IL 80
44 Tremont IL 80
45 Carlyle IL 79.9
46 Lincolnshire IL 79.9
47 Deer Park IL 79.9
48 Vernon Hills IL 79.9
49 Knollwood IL 79.8
50 Romeoville IL 79.8

Metamora, IL tops the list with a composite score of 88.4 out of 100, followed by Germantown Hills and Red Bud. IL dominates the top 12 with 12 cities, reflecting strong performance across the weighted metrics for families.

Rankings combine 7 independent metrics: Schools, Safety, Home Affordability, Low Poverty, Jobs, Short Commute, Education. Cities are weighted to reflect what matters most to families, and any city missing one or more metrics is excluded to avoid artificially inflated rankings.

Explore Other Best Cities Rankings

Best Cities for Retirees
Low crime, warm climate, affordable cost of living and strong healthcare access.
Best Cities for Remote Workers
Strong broadband, affordable rent, low traffic and existing remote-work culture.
Best Cities for Young Professionals
High incomes, educated peers, transit access and an under-35 demographic.
Most Affordable Cities
The lowest cost of living across home prices, rent, services and rent burden.

Related Single-Metric Rankings

Safest Cities → Most Affordable → Most Educated →