Sure, a Saturday morning right after a foot of fluffy snow is the best thing ever. But that same amount of snow on Tuesday in Illinois can make a commute last forever. Imagine it’s the dead of winter and the time of year when the ground is frozen, the air is bone-chilling, and there are piles of dirty, nasty, ice-encrusted snow all over the place.
This is about the time of year when you’re just about ready for spring — especially in Mundelein, the snowiest place in Illinois.
So, put on your parkas, snow boots, and gloves, and let’s go outside to see which Illinois cities get dumped on the most every year. After analyzing all the cities in Illinois with Saturday Night Science, we came up with this list as the 10 snowiest cities in Prairie State.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table
The 10 Snowiest Cities In Illinois For 2024
What’s the snowiest place in Illinois with more than 5,000 people? That would be Mundelein with an average annual snowfall of 41.8 inches.
Read on below to see where your town ranked, you snow angels.
And if you already knew these places were snowy, check out the best places to live in Illinois or the cheapest places in Illinois.
The 10 Snowiest Cities In Illinois For 2024
/10
Population: 31,624
Average Annual Snowfall: 41.8 inches
More on Mundelein: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 10,539
Average Annual Snowfall: 40.2 inches
More on Fox Lake: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 5,510
Average Annual Snowfall: 40.1 inches
More on Spring Grove: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 24,251
Average Annual Snowfall: 39.7 inches
More on Zion: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 31,136
Average Annual Snowfall: 39.5 inches
More on Gurnee: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 27,966
Average Annual Snowfall: 39.5 inches
More on Round Lake Beach: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 21,117
Average Annual Snowfall: 39.5 inches
More on Grayslake: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 20,395
Average Annual Snowfall: 39.5 inches
More on Libertyville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Population: 19,923
Average Annual Snowfall: 39.5 inches
More on Lake Zurich: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 18,588
Average Annual Snowfall: 39.5 inches
More on Deerfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
How We Determined The Cities In Illinois With The Most Snow
In order to rank the snowiest cities in Illinois, we used Saturday Night Science and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) database, to see which cities in the Prairie State get the most annual snowfall.
We updated this article for 2024. This is our second time ranking the snowiest cities in Illinois.
Before we get too far, here are the annual snowfall rates for major cities:
- Chicago — 35.2 inches
- Aurora — 28.1 inches
- Rockford — 35.7 inches
The snowiest cities in Illinois are Mundelein, Fox Lake, Spring Grove, Zion, Gurnee, Round Lake Beach, Grayslake, Libertyville, Lake Zurich, and Deerfield.
There’s a complete chart at the bottom.
If you’re curious, here are the places that get the least amount of snow in Illinois with at least snow snowfall:
- Harrisburg — 7.0 inches
- Metropolis — 7.1 inches
- Benton — 7.3 inches
For more Illinois reading, check out:
Detailed List Of The Snowiest Places In Illinois
| Rank | City | Snow (Inches) | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mundelein | 41.8 | 31,624 |
| 2 | Fox Lake | 40.2 | 10,539 |
| 3 | Spring Grove | 40.1 | 5,510 |
| 4 | Zion | 39.7 | 24,251 |
| 5 | Gurnee | 39.5 | 31,136 |
| 6 | Round Lake Beach | 39.5 | 27,966 |
| 7 | Grayslake | 39.5 | 21,117 |
| 8 | Libertyville | 39.5 | 20,395 |
| 9 | Lake Zurich | 39.5 | 19,923 |
| 10 | Deerfield | 39.5 | 18,588 |
| 11 | Round Lake | 39.5 | 18,446 |
| 12 | Lindenhurst | 39.5 | 14,414 |
| 13 | Antioch | 39.5 | 14,386 |
| 14 | Beach Park | 39.5 | 13,833 |
| 15 | Wauconda | 39.5 | 13,140 |
| 16 | Gages Lake | 39.5 | 10,025 |
| 17 | Lake Villa | 39.5 | 8,878 |
| 18 | Long Grove | 39.5 | 8,086 |
| 19 | Round Lake Park | 39.5 | 7,957 |
| 20 | Hawthorn Woods | 39.5 | 7,634 |
| 21 | Park City | 39.5 | 7,432 |
| 22 | Lincolnshire | 39.5 | 7,271 |
| 23 | Winthrop Harbor | 39.5 | 6,849 |
| 24 | Lakemoor | 39.5 | 6,535 |
| 25 | Lake Bluff | 39.5 | 5,813 |
| 26 | Grandwood Park | 39.5 | 5,757 |
| 27 | Highwood | 39.5 | 5,391 |
| 28 | Buffalo Grove | 39.4 | 41,591 |
| 29 | Vernon Hills | 39.4 | 25,768 |
| 30 | Waukegan | 39.2 | 88,570 |
| 31 | North Chicago | 38.8 | 29,925 |
| 32 | Arlington Heights | 37.7 | 75,802 |
| 33 | Lake Forest | 37.3 | 18,951 |
| 34 | Elmwood Park | 37.2 | 24,971 |
| 35 | Glenview | 37.1 | 45,969 |
| 36 | Melrose Park | 37.1 | 25,491 |
| 37 | River Forest | 37.1 | 11,233 |
| 38 | Island Lake | 36.7 | 8,041 |
| 39 | Niles | 36.6 | 29,955 |
| 40 | Park Ridge | 36.5 | 37,608 |
| 41 | Des Plaines | 36.4 | 58,930 |
| 42 | Morton Grove | 36.4 | 23,472 |
| 43 | Mount Prospect | 36.3 | 54,710 |
| 44 | Skokie | 36.0 | 65,061 |
| 45 | Lincolnwood | 36.0 | 12,666 |
| 46 | Evanston | 35.8 | 75,603 |
| 47 | Rockford | 35.7 | 150,283 |
| 48 | Oak Park | 35.7 | 52,080 |
| 49 | Wilmette | 35.7 | 27,420 |
| 50 | Mchenry | 35.7 | 26,739 |
| 51 | Elk Grove Village | 35.5 | 33,333 |
| 52 | Cicero | 35.3 | 84,361 |
| 53 | Rolling Meadows | 35.3 | 23,401 |
| 54 | Chicago | 35.2 | 2,717,534 |
| 55 | Berwyn | 35.1 | 56,706 |
| 56 | Highland Park | 35.0 | 29,789 |
| 57 | Loves Park | 35.0 | 24,494 |
| 58 | Roselle | 35.0 | 22,979 |
| 59 | Forest Park | 34.8 | 14,194 |
| 60 | Machesney Park | 34.7 | 23,037 |
| 61 | Roscoe | 34.7 | 10,536 |
| 62 | Glencoe | 34.7 | 8,881 |
| 63 | Rockton | 34.7 | 7,567 |
| 64 | Schaumburg | 34.6 | 74,559 |
| 65 | Bellwood | 34.6 | 19,190 |
| 66 | Cary | 34.6 | 18,038 |
| 67 | Johnsburg | 34.6 | 6,321 |
| 68 | Lyons | 34.5 | 10,668 |
| 69 | Palatine | 34.2 | 69,188 |
| 70 | Oak Lawn | 34.2 | 56,980 |
| 71 | Wheeling | 34.2 | 37,982 |
| 72 | Calumet City | 34.2 | 37,184 |
| 73 | Northbrook | 34.2 | 33,572 |
| 74 | Chicago Heights | 34.2 | 30,428 |
| 75 | Burbank | 34.2 | 29,157 |
| 76 | Oak Forest | 34.2 | 28,134 |
| 77 | Harvey | 34.2 | 25,773 |
| 78 | Woodstock | 34.2 | 25,247 |
| 79 | Maywood | 34.2 | 24,138 |
| 80 | South Holland | 34.2 | 22,124 |
| 81 | Alsip | 34.2 | 19,396 |
| 82 | Matteson | 34.2 | 19,159 |
| 83 | Franklin Park | 34.2 | 18,410 |
| 84 | Palos Hills | 34.2 | 17,596 |
| 85 | Westchester | 34.2 | 16,783 |
| 86 | Lemont | 34.2 | 16,513 |
| 87 | Prospect Heights | 34.2 | 16,370 |
| 88 | La Grange | 34.2 | 15,709 |
| 89 | Midlothian | 34.2 | 14,906 |
| 90 | Norridge | 34.2 | 14,856 |
| 91 | Chicago Ridge | 34.2 | 14,407 |
| 92 | Richton Park | 34.2 | 13,744 |
| 93 | La Grange Park | 34.2 | 13,649 |
| 94 | Justice | 34.2 | 13,015 |
| 95 | Winnetka | 34.2 | 12,407 |
| 96 | Northlake | 34.2 | 12,353 |
| 97 | Schiller Park | 34.2 | 11,834 |
| 98 | Summit | 34.2 | 11,447 |
| 99 | Crestwood | 34.2 | 11,027 |
| 100 | Barrington | 34.2 | 10,576 |