Best places to live in Illinois
CityLedger tracks 6 Illinois metros, led by Bloomington. Cost of living runs from about 91 to 104 against a U.S. average of 100. Every figure below is computed from public U.S. government data and links to a full profile.
CityLedger tracks 6 metros in Illinois, the largest being the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Metro Area (around 9,406,924 people). Across the state, median household income runs from $64,980 in Champaign to $90,770 in Chicago, and typical rent from $1,003 a month in Peoria upward — a reminder that "Illinois" is really several different housing and job markets, not one.
Peoria has the lowest overall price level in the state (about 91 versus a U.S. average of 100), but the cheapest metro isn't always where money goes furthest. Adjusting income for local prices, Chicago delivers the best real buying power — a cost-adjusted median of about $87,620.
Taxes shift the picture in ways a cost-of-living index alone misses: Illinois levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower here than in no-income-tax states at the same salary, and combined state and local sales tax averages about 8.9% (Tax Foundation). Our salary calculator folds federal, FICA, and Illinois state tax into a single take-home figure for any metro here.
Bloomington earns the state's highest CityLedger livability score, 71/100; Champaign is the fastest-growing, up 7.6% over the latest population estimate; Springfield carries the lowest natural-hazard loss rate, about $11 per $10,000 of property (FEMA). Open any metro below for the full, sourced breakdown behind these figures.
| Metro | Livability | Cost of living | Median income | Median rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IL | 71 | 94 | $81,240 | $1,034/mo |
| Springfield, IL | 69 | 93 | $80,190 | $1,047/mo |
| Peoria, IL | 57 | 91 | $74,352 | $1,003/mo |
| Chicago, IL | 56 | 104 | $90,770 | $1,469/mo |
| Champaign, IL | 56 | 93 | $64,980 | $1,103/mo |
| Rockford, IL | 37 | 92 | $70,111 | $1,014/mo |
Browse every metro on the cities index or the rankings.
Living in Illinois — frequently asked
- What is the most affordable metro in Illinois?
- By overall price level, Peoria is the most affordable metro in Illinois, at about 91 against a U.S. average of 100 (BEA Regional Price Parities). Affordability also depends on local pay — see where a paycheck stretches furthest below.
- Where does a paycheck go furthest in Illinois?
- Chicago has the highest cost-adjusted income in Illinois — a median of about $87,620 once local prices are factored in, meaning typical pay buys the most there.
- Does Illinois have a state income tax?
- Yes. Illinois levies a state income tax, which lowers take-home pay relative to no-income-tax states; combined state and local sales tax also averages about 8.9%. Our salary calculator estimates the exact take-home for each metro.
- Which Illinois metro has the highest livability score?
- Bloomington, at 71/100 on CityLedger's livability score — a transparent blend of affordability, jobs, income, education, and commute, all from public data.