Best places to raise a family in Illinois
For the majority of people, there comes a moment in time when the prerequisites for a place to call home drastically change. This usually happens while planning to have children or shortly after the little ones arrive. Priorities dramatically shift, often prompting a move to a new home or even a new city. Cutting-edge restaurants and hipster cocktail bars suddenly take a backseat to excellent schools and plenty of playgrounds.
So where exactly are the best places to raise a family in Illinois? Stacker has collected data from Niche's 2018 best places to raise a family rankings to determine where children are most likely to thrive. The rankings measure the appeal of an area based on public schools, crime rates, cost of living, affordability, and access to family-friendly amenities.
To create this list, Niche used data from several databases, including the U.S. Census, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Centers for Disease Control, as well as Niche's own proprietary data and community reviews. The data includes the area's population, median home value, median rent, median household income, and the percentage of households with children. It also takes into consideration the national average for median home value—$184,700, median rent—$949, and median household income—$55,322.
Read on to find out where to consider moving if you are raising a family in Illinois.
#25. Hawthorn Woods—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 7,590
Median home value: $504,200
Median rent: $3,501
Median household income: $156,413
Percentage of households with children: 22%
#24. Deerfield—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 18,686
Median home value: $508,800
Median rent: $1,559
Median household income: $143,729
Percentage of households with children: 22%
#23. La Grange—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 15,688
Median home value: $446,100
Median rent: $1,125
Median household income: $105,417
Percentage of households with children: 25%
#22. Barrington—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 10,449
Median home value: $493,000
Median rent: $1,220
Median household income: $119,688
Percentage of households with children: 20%
#21. Vernon Hills—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 25,910
Median home value: $323,400
Median rent: $1,226
Median household income: $95,217
Percentage of households with children: 21%
#20. Lincolnshire—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 7,291
Median home value: $476,600
Median rent: $2,436
Median household income: $102,364
Percentage of households with children: 16%
#19. South Barrington—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 4,766
Median home value: $804,800
Median rent: N/A
Median household income: $184,141
Percentage of households with children: 21%
#18. Glenview—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 46,559
Median home value: $478,400
Median rent: $1,657
Median household income: $102,009
Percentage of households with children: 20%
#17. Indian Head Park—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 3,823
Median home value: $237,300
Median rent: $872
Median household income: $82,219
Percentage of households with children: 14%
#16. Oak Park—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 51,989
Median home value: $359,100
Median rent: $1,050
Median household income: $82,826
Percentage of households with children: 20%
#15. Northbrook—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 33,538
Median home value: $519,300
Median rent: $1,962
Median household income: $115,243
Percentage of households with children: 18%
#14. Northfield—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 5,374
Median home value: $597,900
Median rent: $1,613
Median household income: $125,636
Percentage of households with children: 16%
#13. Green Oaks—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 3,832
Median home value: $556,800
Median rent: $2,001
Median household income: $162,396
Percentage of households with children: 24%
#12. Kildeer—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 3,976
Median home value: $606,500
Median rent: $961
Median household income: $166,790
Percentage of households with children: 22%
#11. Tower Lakes—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 1,149
Median home value: $480,000
Median rent: $886
Median household income: $172,946
Percentage of households with children: 20%
#10. Naperville—city in Illinois
Population: 145,789
Median home value: $388,400
Median rent: $1,360
Median household income: $110,676
Percentage of households with children: 21%
#9. Wilmette—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 27,367
Median home value: $636,900
Median rent: $1,713
Median household income: $138,651
Percentage of households with children: 24%
#8. Glencoe—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 8,870
Median home value: $891,300
Median rent: $1,233
Median household income: $185,320
Percentage of households with children: 25%
#7. Winnetka—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 12,437
Median home value: $989,600
Median rent: $1,627
Median household income: $207,857
Percentage of households with children: 28%
#6. Hinsdale—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 17,438
Median home value: $859,400
Median rent: $1,785
Median household income: $173,558
Percentage of households with children: 25%
#5. Western Springs—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 13,133
Median home value: $530,800
Median rent: $1,677
Median household income: $147,361
Percentage of households with children: 26%
#4. Buffalo Grove—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 41,554
Median home value: $299,600
Median rent: $1,399
Median household income: $101,376
Percentage of households with children: 18%
#3. Long Grove—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 8,065
Median home value: $652,100
Median rent: $2,019
Median household income: $184,208
Percentage of households with children: 19%
#2. Clarendon Hills—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 8,641
Median home value: $485,900
Median rent: $974
Median household income: $111,981
Percentage of households with children: 25%
#1. Kenilworth—suburb of Chicago, IL
Population: 2,613
Median home value: $1,095,600
Median rent: $3,501
Median household income: $211,023
Percentage of households with children: 26%
