Illinois Cities Rank High in New Best Small Cities List

I've heard my fair share of negative things said about Illinois during my lifetime.

Despite the negative narratives, Illinois, as a state, stands out among the best in America, offering a unique blend of urban and suburban living.

Illinois is a diverse state with a rich tapestry of cities, each offering its own unique charm.

The latest Best Small Cities in America list from WalletHub showcases this diversity, highlighting the many great places to live in Illinois.

WalletHub compared over 1,300 American cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000, comparing each using five different metrics: affordability, economic health, education and health, quality of life, and safety.

Considering there were so many different cities ranked by WalletHub, they decided to group each using percentiles. That means the 99th percentile represents the top 1% of small cities in America.

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Downers Grove, a Chicago suburb, soared to the top of the rankings, securing a place in the 99th percentile, a distinction unique to Illinois.

Algonquin, another Chicago suburb, was ranked in the 98th percentile, while Glen Ellyn was close behind in the 97th percentile.

Carol Stream ranked in the 96th percentile, and both Wheaton and Park Ridge in the 95th.

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In the Rockford area, Belvidere emerged as the top-ranked city, landing in the 46th percentile with an impressive overall score of 57.29, placing it in the top 500 for both affordability and safety.

The lowest-ranked small city in Illinois, according to WalletHub, is East St. Louis.