New Livability Study Names 4 Illinois Cities Among Best In US

A brand new 'best places to live' study tried a different approach to ranking the places to best build a family, create your dream career, and live a meaningful life. Discover which four Illinois cities made the Best 100 list.

Choosing the Best Place to Live

I've seen quite a few lits and rankings over the years showing us the best places to consider living. Many of them use very similar categories for crunching numbers. This new annual study from Livability tried to do things a little differently from US News & World Report's list of the best places to live in the US.

The first thing Livablitly did differently was remove any city with a population over half a million. In the case of Illinois, it's not to say that living in Chicago isn't a good idea, it's that studies already show that people are moving out of larger metropolitan areas, so this list points out what places might be best to consider next.

According to Livability's website, the second big differentiator was how affordable the place was, so none of the 100 cities on the list have a median home value over $500,000.

When considering all the factors, each place was given a 'livability score'

You can find the rest of Livability's methodology HERE.

Best Places to Live in the U.S.

According to Livability, here's the Top 5

1. John's Creek, Georgia
2. Flower Mound, Texas
3. Carmel, Indiana
4. Broomfield, Colorado
5. Sugar Land, Texas

Now, where the Land of Lincoln landed in the rankings, from Livability.

Naperville

#9 - Livability Score: 841

MORE: [UPDATE] 2 More Headliners Added to Summerfest 2024 Lineup

Top-rated schools, gorgeous parks, and a busy downtown.

Naperville ranks highest for health, safety, and education.

Naperville is often considered one of the best places to live in the U.S.

A closer look at all of Naperville's numbers is HERE.

Evanston

#23  - Livability Score: 789

Get our free mobile app

MORE: 10 Things Illinois Mega Millions and Powerball Players Should Know

Livability says that Evanston is the perfect suburb for people who think they don’t like suburbs. That's accurate. Get all the city liveliness with relaxed suburban vibes on the shores of Lake Michigan too. Evanston is also home to Northwestern University — one of the top colleges in the U.S.

A closer look at all of Evanston's numbers is HERE.

Bloomington

MORE: [UPDATE] Over 100 Human Bones Found in Case of Two Illinois Men Who Disappeared in 1976

#70 - Livability Score: 725

Surrounded by farmland, Bloomington gives you a peaceful setting in a city with plenty of things to do. A strong economy, excellent schools, and a thriving arts scene.

Bloomington ranks highest for transportation, housing, and education.

What makes Bloomington stand out as one of the best places to live in the U.S. is its proximity to multiple universities — and all of the benefits that come along with being a college town. Bloomington is home to Illinois Wesleyan University but is also near Illinois State University, Heartland Community College, and Eureka College in the greater Bloomington-Normal metro area.

A closer look at all of Bloomington's numbers is HERE.

Peoria

#92 - Livability Score: 695

With a great skyline, high-quality museums, and a stellar zoo, Peoria is home to Bradley University and an incredibly affordable housing market where the median home price is around $135,000.

Peoria ranks highest for housing, transportation, and economy.

This Peoria live-fire eatery was just named one of the best restaurants in the US.

A closer look at all of Peoria's numbers is HERE.

MORE: 5 Most Expensive Places to Live In Illinois

No matter how great the Ilinois city is, there's a good chance they've made this list below.