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
10 "Settle here" picks
15 "Good for now" picks

#1 Pick in Illinois

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

Top 25 Neighborhoods in Illinois

#1

Chicago

Settle here

Chicago, IL

Price

$720K

Walk

87/100

Schools

7.8/10

View report →
#2

Lincoln Park

Settle here

Lincoln Park, IL

Price

$720K

Walk

87/100

Schools

7.8/10

View report →
#3

Chicago

Settle here

Chicago, IL

Price

$586K

Walk

89/100

Schools

7.9/10

View report →
#4

Naperville

Settle here

Naperville, IL

Price

$551K

Walk

53/100

Schools

6.9/10

View report →
#5

Chicago

Settle here

Chicago, IL

Price

$500K

Walk

90/100

Schools

7.8/10

View report →
#6

Chicago

Settle here

Chicago, IL

Price

$500K

Walk

85/100

Schools

7.8/10

View report →
#7

Lakeview

Settle here

Lakeview, IL

Price

$538K

Walk

74/100

Schools

5/10

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#8

Chicago

Settle here

Chicago, IL

Price

$402K

Walk

65/100

Schools

8.1/10

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#9

Chicago

Settle here

Chicago, IL

Price

$526K

Walk

82/100

Schools

5/10

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#10

River North

Good for now

River North, IL

Price

$500K

Walk

90/100

Schools

7.8/10

View report →
#11

Bolingbrook

Settle here

Bolingbrook, IL

Price

$277K

Walk

72/100

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#12

West Loop

Good for now

West Loop, IL

Price

$500K

Walk

85/100

Schools

7.8/10

View report →
#13

Bloomington

Good for now

Bloomington, IL

Price

$145K

Walk

91/100

Schools

7.6/10

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#14

Evanston

Good for now

Evanston, IL

Price

$591K

Walk

89/100

Schools

7.3/10

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#15

Schaumburg

Good for now

Schaumburg, IL

Price

$372K

Walk

83/100

Schools

7.6/10

View report →
#16

Chicago

Good for now

Chicago, IL

Price

$538K

Walk

74/100

Schools

7.9/10

View report →
#17

Chicago

Good for now

Chicago, IL

Price

$370K

Walk

75/100

Schools

7.9/10

View report →
#18

Chicago

Good for now

Chicago, IL

Price

$638K

Walk

70/100

Schools

7.8/10

View report →
#19

Berwyn

Good for now

Berwyn, IL

Price

$295K

Walk

77/100

Schools

7.3/10

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#20

Wicker Park

Good for now

Wicker Park, IL

Price

$638K

Walk

70/100

Schools

7.8/10

View report →
#21

Skokie

Good for now

Skokie, IL

Price

$396K

Walk

73/100

Schools

7.8/10

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#22

Logan Square

Good for now

Logan Square, IL

Price

$586K

Walk

89/100

Schools

7.9/10

View report →
#23

Chicago

Good for now

Chicago, IL

Price

$359K

Walk

65/100

Schools

7.7/10

View report →
#24

Norridge

Good for now

Norridge, IL

Price

$420K

Walk

42/100

Schools

6.8/10

View report →
#25

Aurora

Good for now

Aurora, IL

Price

$205K

Walk

68/100

Schools

3.5/10

View report →

Best places to live in Illinois — 2026 rankings

WYLT has reviewed 25 neighborhoods across Illinois, covering cities including Chicago, Lincoln Park, Naperville, Lakeview, River North and more. The top-rated neighborhood this year is Chicago, rated "Settle here" based on safety, schools, walkability, and home prices. 10 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 $475K. Average Walk Score is 77/100. 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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