If you’re looking for safe cities and neighborhoods, amazing schools, large green spaces, good food, and just overall good family friendly fun, you can stop your search: Illinois is one of the most family friendly states in the USA. Great family friendly Illinois cities are around every corner in The Land of Lincoln. You can have your family on a Lake Michigan beach, at an amusement park, and camping at a state park, all in the same day.
Your in luck parents, some of these family friendly cities have family friendly breweries for that end of the day family friendly fun. And lucky for you, they have many that are both kid and dog friendly. In all seriousness, Illinois has some of the best schools in the country. Blue Ribbon elementary schools, gold star high schools with focus in STEM and the Arts, and colleges like Northwestern and the University of Illinois have been delivering the next generation to work at major Illinois companies like Caterpillar, McDonalds, and Walgreens. (This is especially nice for those parents who don’t want their kids to fly the coop for school or work.)
Now don’t count yourselves out of the mix, parents, and definitely don’t let Illinois’ unemployment rate scare you. There are plenty of jobs available in Illinois for anyone who wants to work from Chicago down to Springfield. And with a $63,000/year household median, there’s plenty of moneyto keep your family happy, healthy, and having fun. And speaking of healthy, Illinois has a lot of healthy options. The Prairie state is leading the way in agriculture, they have boatloads of Farmers’ Markets, and plenty of space to run. They are one of the top states for life expectancy.
To take a closer look at the top ten cities on our family friendly Illinois cities for 2024, scroll on down.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Cities To Raise A Family In Illinois For 2024
To narrow down the most family friendly cities in Illinois, we looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities and percent of households that currently have children. The cities also had to have a population of at least 10,000.
What’s the most family friendly place to call home in Illinois? Without further adieu, the most family friendly city in Illinois for 2024 is Hinsdale.
So, if you care about your family living where crime is low, schools are awesome, where you can lead an active, healthy lifestyle, take a look at the list below. This flyover state wants you to call it home.
More reading about Illinois and the best places for families in the country:
- Best Places To Live In Illinois
- Cheapest Places To Live In Illinois
- Best Cities To Raise A Family In America
- Best States To Raise A Family In America
The 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In Illinois For 2024
/10
Population: 17,169
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $1,010,524
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 39
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 49.8%
More on Hinsdale: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 13,557
Median Income: $198,836
Average Home Price: $700,654
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 60
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 43.5%
More on Western Springs: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 12,607
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $1,450,397
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 45
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 44.1%
More on Winnetka: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 11,568
Median Income: $144,784
Average Home Price: $625,449
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 41
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 33.2%
More on River Forest: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 16,128
Median Income: $141,235
Average Home Price: $522,753
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 33
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 38.5%
More on La Grange: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 19,436
Median Income: $202,153
Average Home Price: $997,291
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 56
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 29.9%
More on Lake Forest: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 11,244
Median Income: $160,171
Average Home Price: $536,565
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 54
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 41.4%
More on Barrington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 20,555
Median Income: $161,302
Average Home Price: $523,474
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 50
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 35.4%
More on Libertyville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 45,648
Median Income: $143,492
Average Home Price: $500,450
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 46
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 34.5%
More on Elmhurst: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 28,304
Median Income: $128,132
Average Home Price: $483,880
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 45
Closest Major City: Chicago
Households with kids: 34.2%
More on Glen Ellyn: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Illinois anyways?
To give you the places in Illinois that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Illinois, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Illinois, that meant a total of 210 cities.
We updated this article for 2024. This is our tenth time ranking the best cities for families in Illinois.
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Illinois
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Illinois ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Illinois are Hinsdale, Western Springs, Winnetka, River Forest, La Grange, Lake Forest, Barrington, Libertyville, Elmhurst, and Glen Ellyn.
Here’s a look at the best cities for singles Illinois according to the data:
- East St. Louis
- DeKalb
- Pekin
For more Illinois reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Illinois
- Best Places To Live In Illinois
- Worst Places To Live In Illinois
Best Places For Families In Illinois
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Amenities Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hinsdale, IL | 17,169 | $250,001 | $1,010,524 | 50 |
| 2 | Western Springs, IL | 13,557 | $198,836 | $700,654 | 43 |
| 3 | Winnetka, IL | 12,607 | $250,001 | $1,450,397 | 35 |
| 4 | River Forest, IL | 11,568 | $144,784 | $625,449 | 55 |
| 5 | La Grange, IL | 16,128 | $141,235 | $522,753 | 38 |
| 6 | Lake Forest, IL | 19,436 | $202,153 | $997,291 | 71 |
| 7 | Barrington, IL | 11,244 | $160,171 | $536,565 | 39 |
| 8 | Libertyville, IL | 20,555 | $161,302 | $523,474 | 53 |
| 9 | Elmhurst, IL | 45,648 | $143,492 | $500,450 | 59 |
| 10 | Glen Ellyn, IL | 28,304 | $128,132 | $483,880 | 39 |