Largest Cities in Illinois

Top 100 cities ranked by largest cities

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All Countries · United States · Illinois

Largest Cities — Illinois

1 Chicago 2,707,648

2 Aurora 179,867

3 Joliet 149,785

4 Naperville 149,424

5 Rockford 147,649

6 Elgin 114,106

7 Springfield 113,714

8 Peoria 112,126

9 Waukegan 88,919

10 Champaign 88,822

11 Cicero 83,223

12 Bloomington 78,703

13 Schaumburg 76,780

14 Evanston 76,552

15 Arlington Heights 76,220

16 Bolingbrook 73,813

17 Decatur 70,368

18 Palatine 66,548

19 Skokie 66,427

20 Des Plaines 59,408

21 Orland Park 57,961

22 Oak Lawn 57,098

23 Berwyn 55,888

24 Mount Prospect 55,648

25 Tinley Park 55,007

26 Wheaton 53,453

27 Oak Park 53,315

28 Normal 52,908

29 Hoffman Estates 51,186

30 Downers Grove 49,867

31 Glenview 47,682

32 Plainfield 45,705

33 Elmhurst 45,538

34 Lombard 43,722

35 Buffalo Grove 42,824

36 Moline 42,235

37 Belleville 41,722

38 Romeoville 40,996

39 Bartlett 40,531

40 DeKalb 40,464

41 Crystal Lake 40,436

42 Carol Stream 39,427

43 Park Ridge 39,241

44 Quincy 39,188

45 Streamwood 39,055

46 Wheeling 38,495

47 Urbana 38,447

48 Carpentersville 37,544

49 Hanover Park 36,850

50 Rock Island 36,758

51 Addison 35,470

52 Oswego 35,463

53 Calumet City 35,253

54 Northbrook 34,642

55 Woodridge 33,889

56 Glendale Heights 32,864

57 St. Charles 32,733

58 O'Fallon 32,139

59 Elk Grove Village 32,132

60 Pekin 31,812

61 Mundelein 31,632

62 North Chicago 30,772

63 Gurnee 30,486

64 Niles 30,262

65 Highland Park 30,229

66 Algonquin 29,904

67 Galesburg 29,653

68 Lake in the Hills 28,853

69 Burbank 28,822

70 Danville 28,663

71 Lansing 28,415

72 Glen Ellyn 28,270

73 Huntley 27,859

74 McHenry 27,774

75 Wilmette 27,550

76 New Lenox 27,456

77 Round Lake Beach 27,081

78 Chicago Heights 26,938

79 Oak Forest 26,888

80 Vernon Hills 26,772

81 Batavia 26,730

82 Granite City 26,670

83 Edwardsville 26,543

84 Woodstock 26,316

85 Lockport 26,228

86 West Chicago 25,434

87 Alton 25,430

88 Morton Grove 24,687

89 Homer Glen 24,516

90 Melrose Park 24,513

91 Belvidere 24,510

92 Zion 24,466

93 Kankakee 24,384

94 Westmont 24,201

95 Collinsville 24,126

96 South Elgin 23,984

97 Elmwood Park 23,982

98 Rolling Meadows 23,981

99 Freeport 23,636

100 Blue Island 23,416

The largest cities in Illinois represent major centers of economic activity, cultural influence, and population growth. Chicago leads with a population of 2,707,648, followed by Aurora and Joliet. These cities serve as hubs for employment, education, and innovation, attracting residents from across the country and around the world.

Population size is a key indicator of a city's economic influence and infrastructure capacity. Larger cities typically offer more diverse job markets, extensive public transit systems, and a wider range of cultural amenities. IL dominates the top 10 with 10 cities on the list, reflecting the state's strong economic pull and quality of life.

While large populations bring economic advantages, they also present challenges including higher costs of living, traffic congestion, and housing affordability concerns. Many of these cities have experienced significant growth over the past decade, driven by job opportunities in technology, healthcare, and professional services.

Did You Know?

1. Chicago's population is larger than that of several U.S. states.
2. IL has 10 cities in the top 10, more than any other state.
3. The 50th largest city still has a population of 36,758 — larger than most cities worldwide.
4. The top 5 cities combined have a population of 3,334,373.

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