WYLT Neighborhood Rankings · 2026

Best Neighborhoods
in Illinois

Ranked by safety, schools, walkability, and value. Every verdict is based on real data — no sponsored rankings, no fluff.

25 neighborhoods reviewed
5 "Settle here" picks
19 "Good for now" picks

#1 Pick in Illinois

Lincoln Park, Lincoln Park is the top-rated neighborhood in Illinois — our highest verdict.

Top 25 Neighborhoods in Illinois

#1

Lincoln Park

Settle here

Lincoln Park, IL

Price

$730K

Walk

89/100

Schools

7/10

View report →
#2

Chicago

Settle here

Chicago, IL

Price

$617K

Walk

78/100

Schools

6.9/10

View report →
#3

Chicago

Settle here

Chicago, IL

Price

$487K

Walk

70/100

Schools

6.9/10

View report →
#4

Chicago

Settle here

Chicago, IL

Price

$395K

Walk

59/100

Schools

7/10

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#5

Naperville

Settle here

Naperville, IL

Price

$482K

Walk

11/100

Schools

6.6/10

View report →
#6

Chicago

Good for now

Chicago, IL

Price

$353K

Walk

93/100

Schools

7.1/10

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#7

Lakeview

Good for now

Lakeview, IL

Price

$527K

Walk

92/100

Schools

7/10

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#8

Chicago

Good for now

Chicago, IL

Price

$527K

Walk

92/100

Schools

7/10

View report →
#9

Chicago

Good for now

Chicago, IL

Price

$557K

Walk

92/100

Schools

7/10

View report →
#10

River North

Good for now

River North, IL

Price

$496K

Walk

88/100

Schools

6.9/10

View report →
#11

Chicago

Good for now

Chicago, IL

Price

$496K

Walk

88/100

Schools

6.9/10

View report →
#12

Chicago

Good for now

Chicago, IL

Price

$538K

Walk

79/100

Schools

6.9/10

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#13

Wicker Park

Good for now

Wicker Park, IL

Price

$617K

Walk

78/100

Schools

6.9/10

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#14

West Loop

Good for now

West Loop, IL

Price

$487K

Walk

70/100

Schools

6.9/10

View report →
#15

Chicago

Good for now

Chicago, IL

Price

$322K

Walk

60/100

Schools

6.8/10

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#16

Logan Square

Good for now

Logan Square, IL

Price

$538K

Walk

79/100

Schools

6.9/10

View report →
#17

Bloomington

Good for now

Bloomington, IL

Price

$133K

Walk

34/100

Schools

7.4/10

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#18

Arlington Heights

Good for now

Arlington Heights, IL

Price

$404K

Walk

27/100

Schools

6.9/10

View report →
#19

Skokie

Good for now

Skokie, IL

Price

$378K

Walk

24/100

Schools

7/10

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#20

Evanston

Good for now

Evanston, IL

Price

$557K

Walk

20/100

Schools

7/10

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#21

Schaumburg

Good for now

Schaumburg, IL

Price

$316K

Walk

16/100

Schools

7.1/10

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#22

Chicago

Think twice

Chicago, IL

Price

$730K

Walk

89/100

Schools

7/10

View report →
#23

Berwyn

Good for now

Berwyn, IL

Price

$265K

Walk

11/100

Schools

6.6/10

View report →
#24

Aurora

Good for now

Aurora, IL

Price

$178K

Schools

6.8/10

View report →
#25

Bolingbrook

Good for now

Bolingbrook, IL

Price

$242K

Schools

6.7/10

View report →

Best places to live in Illinois — 2026 rankings

WYLT has reviewed 25 neighborhoods across Illinois, covering cities including Lincoln Park, Chicago, Naperville, Lakeview, River North and more. The top-rated neighborhood this year is Lincoln Park, rated "Settle here" based on safety, schools, walkability, and home prices. 5 neighborhoods earn our highest "Settle here" verdict — meaning strong scores across all four dimensions with no major red flags.

Median home prices across reviewed Illinois neighborhoods average $455K. Average Walk Score is 63/100. Every verdict is based on real data — crime statistics, school ratings, walkability scores, and price trend data — not sponsored rankings. Click any neighborhood to read its full report including commute times, flood risk, and a plain-English verdict.

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