Best Cities for Young Professionals in Illinois

High incomes, educated peers, transit access and an under-35 demographic.

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.

Income · 20% Educated Peers · 15% Young Demographic · 15% Jobs · 15% Transit · 10% Safety · 10% Broadband · 15%

Top 12 Young Professionals Cities in Illinois

Ranked by composite score across 7 weighted metrics.

#1
Score 90.7
Kenilworth, IL
2,543 residents
Income $250,001
Educated Peers 91.9%
Young Demographic 41 yrs
#2
Score 88.6
Winnetka, IL
12,508 residents
Income $250,001
Educated Peers 87.3%
Young Demographic 42 yrs
#3
Score 86.1
Glencoe, IL
8,715 residents
Income $250,001
Educated Peers 88.2%
Young Demographic 45 yrs
#4
Score 84.2
Hinsdale, IL
17,155 residents
Income $250,001
Educated Peers 81.3%
Young Demographic 42 yrs
#5
Score 81.7
Western Springs, IL
13,353 residents
Income $218,839
Educated Peers 82.0%
Young Demographic 42 yrs
#6
Score 81.4
Hawthorn Woods, IL
9,145 residents
Income $238,114
Educated Peers 76.3%
Young Demographic 41 yrs
#7
Score 81.2
Lake Forest, IL
19,190 residents
Income $228,120
Educated Peers 80.8%
Young Demographic 46 yrs
#8
Score 79.9
Bannockburn, IL
1,125 residents
Income $195,625
Educated Peers 86.7%
Young Demographic 31 yrs
#9
Score 78.5
Wilmette, IL
27,550 residents
Income $192,300
Educated Peers 84.6%
Young Demographic 46 yrs
#10
Score 78.2
Kildeer, IL
4,189 residents
Income $250,001
Educated Peers 78.9%
Young Demographic 44 yrs
#11
Score 76.5
Riverwoods, IL
3,988 residents
Income $243,036
Educated Peers 76.4%
Young Demographic 50 yrs
#12
Score 75.8
Lake Bluff, IL
5,834 residents
Income $205,735
Educated Peers 81.8%
Young Demographic 45 yrs

Full Ranking, Illinois

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

1 Kenilworth IL 90.7
2 Winnetka IL 88.6
3 Glencoe IL 86.1
4 Hinsdale IL 84.2
5 Western Springs IL 81.7
6 Hawthorn Woods IL 81.4
7 Lake Forest IL 81.2
8 Bannockburn IL 79.9
9 Wilmette IL 78.5
10 Kildeer IL 78.2
11 Riverwoods IL 76.5
12 Lake Bluff IL 75.8
13 Deerfield IL 75.7
14 River Forest IL 74.1
15 Lakewood IL 73.6
16 Northfield IL 73
17 South Barrington IL 72.9
18 La Grange IL 72
19 Clarendon Hills IL 71.7
20 Inverness IL 71.1
21 Riverside IL 71
22 Barrington Hills IL 70.7
23 Naperville IL 70.5
24 Lincolnshire IL 69.7
25 Highland Park IL 69.5
26 Libertyville IL 69.3
27 Barrington IL 69
28 Geneva IL 68.9
29 Oak Park IL 67.9
30 Northbrook IL 67.9
31 Elmhurst IL 67.3
32 Park Ridge IL 66.7
33 Flossmoor IL 66.7
34 Glen Ellyn IL 66.6
35 Wheaton IL 66.5
36 Frankfort IL 66.4
37 Glenview IL 66.2
38 Buffalo Grove IL 66.2
39 Evanston IL 66.2
40 Lake Zurich IL 65.9
41 Plainfield IL 65.7
42 Prairie Grove IL 65.7
43 Lisle IL 65.5
44 Manhattan IL 65.3
45 La Grange Park IL 64.6
46 New Lenox IL 64.4
47 Burr Ridge IL 64.3
48 Downers Grove IL 64
49 Vernon Hills IL 64
50 Winfield IL 63.8

Kenilworth, IL tops the list with a composite score of 90.7 out of 100, followed by Winnetka and Glencoe. IL dominates the top 12 with 12 cities, reflecting strong performance across the weighted metrics for young professionals.

Rankings combine 7 independent metrics: Income, Educated Peers, Young Demographic, Jobs, Transit, Safety, Broadband. Cities are weighted to reflect what matters most to young professionals, 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 Families
Strong schools, low crime, affordable homes and family-friendly commutes.
Most Affordable Cities
The lowest cost of living across home prices, rent, services and rent burden.

Related Single-Metric Rankings

Highest Income → Most Educated → Youngest Cities →