Rankings · How Chicago ranks in IL
Chicago ranks #51 in Illinois for walkable streets
Chicago is ranked on 38 lists against the 820 Illinois towns with 2,500+ residents. It makes the top 10 on 0 and the top quarter on 8.
Lists ranked on
38
of IL’s 820 ranked towns
Top-10 finishes
0
Best: #51 most walkable
Top-quarter finishes
8
of 24 lists where higher is better
Strongest area
Outdoors
Top 12% on average
★ What stands out · Where it shines
The lists Chicago does best on
Each list ranks every IL town with 2,500+ residents. Tap one to see the whole list with Chicago marked.
At a glance
Chicago lands in the top half on 12 of 24 lists
Each dot is Chicago’s spot on one list: the left end is #1 in IL, the right end is last. Areas where Chicago does best come first.
Top 10%Top halfBottom half
HealthHealth →
Closest to a top hospital#66/820Lowest depression#124/819Lowest obesity#197/819Fewest smokers#239/819Healthiest#379/817Most active#494/819Fewest uninsured#751/819 People
Most educated#188/820 HousingHousing →
Most new homes#117/431 Cost of livingHousing →
Lowest property tax#449/818Rent easiest to afford#158/278Cheapest rent#586/799Most affordable#654/819 SchoolsSchools →
Best schools#275/384 Getting aroundWork & commute →
Shortest commute#742/820 SafetySafety →
Safest#306/321 What kind of place
More homes per newcomer than 94% of Illinois
Not better or worse, just Chicago’s character, from the lists where neither end is the “good” one. The most distinctive come first.
More homes per newcomer than 94% of IL towns
Homes keep paceShort on homes
1.0 new residents for each new home, 2010–20
Longer growing season than 89% of IL towns
Shorter seasonLonger season
201 days between frosts
More snow than 88% of IL towns
Less snowMore snow
39 in of snow a year
Younger than 87% of IL towns
YoungerOlder
35.8 median age
Fewer seniors than 83% of IL towns
Fewer seniorsMore seniors
13.8% of residents are 65+
Steadier prices than 83% of IL towns
Steadier pricesPrices rising fast
+40.1% in home prices, 5 years
Drier than 80% of IL towns
DrierWetter
38 in of rain + melted snow a year
Fewer kids than 79% of IL towns
Fewer kidsMore kids
19.4% of residents are under 18
Cooler summers than 77% of IL towns
Cooler summersHotter summers
83.7° July high
More vacation homes than 71% of IL towns
Year-roundVacation homes
0.7% of homes are seasonal
Milder winters than 70% of IL towns
Colder wintersMilder winters
18.1° January low
Next door
Chicago out-ranks 5 of its 10 ranked neighbors
Head to head on the lists where both towns are ranked: a point for each list where one town places higher. Tap a town for its own rankings.