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Illinois rankings

Every ranking is built from official statistics and opens the cities behind it.

Chicago (2,711,226 residents)Aurora (179,898 residents)Naperville (150,692 residents)Joliet (150,445 residents)Rockford (147,521 residents)Elgin (114,934 residents)Springfield (113,330 residents)Peoria (112,169 residents)Champaign (89,996 residents)Waukegan (89,076 residents)Cicero (82,797 residents)Bloomington (78,907 residents)Schaumburg (76,868 residents)Evanston (76,340 residents)Arlington Heights (76,005 residents)Bolingbrook (74,096 residents)Decatur (69,815 residents)Palatine (66,293 residents)Skokie (66,219 residents)Des Plaines (59,156 residents)Orland Park (57,916 residents)Oak Lawn (56,861 residents)Berwyn (55,595 residents)Mount Prospect (55,472 residents)Tinley Park (54,842 residents)Normal (53,569 residents)Wheaton (53,557 residents)Oak Park (53,292 residents)Hoffman Estates (51,175 residents)Downers Grove (50,054 residents)Glenview (47,752 residents)Plainfield (46,708 residents)Elmhurst (45,671 residents)Lombard (43,619 residents)Buffalo Grove (42,891 residents)Moline (42,197 residents)Belleville (41,370 residents)Romeoville (41,152 residents)Crystal Lake (40,579 residents)Bartlett (40,501 residents)DeKalb (40,443 residents)Carol Stream (39,460 residents)Urbana (39,341 residents)Quincy (39,109 residents)Streamwood (39,001 residents)Park Ridge (38,667 residents)Wheeling (38,433 residents)Carpentersville (37,346 residents)Hanover Park (36,732 residents)Oswego (36,375 residents)Rock Island (36,151 residents)Addison (35,489 residents)Calumet City (35,100 residents)Northbrook (34,585 residents)Woodridge (33,941 residents)St. Charles (32,854 residents)Glendale Heights (32,808 residents)O'Fallon (32,262 residents)Elk Grove Village (31,987 residents)Mundelein (31,915 residents)Pekin (31,781 residents)North Chicago (30,643 residents)Gurnee (30,510 residents)Highland Park (30,398 residents)Algonquin (30,067 residents)Niles (30,064 residents)Galesburg (29,481 residents)Lake in the Hills (28,800 residents)Burbank (28,739 residents)Danville (28,595 residents)Glen Ellyn (28,390 residents)Lansing (28,284 residents)McHenry (28,074 residents)New Lenox (28,006 residents)Huntley (28,005 residents)Wilmette (27,503 residents)Batavia (27,151 residents)Round Lake Beach (27,079 residents)Vernon Hills (26,876 residents)Oak Forest (26,805 residents)Chicago Heights (26,736 residents)Granite City (26,549 residents)Edwardsville (26,474 residents)Lockport (26,409 residents)Woodstock (26,147 residents)West Chicago (25,395 residents)Alton (25,279 residents)Belvidere (24,752 residents)Morton Grove (24,619 residents)Zion (24,600 residents)Melrose Park (24,549 residents)Homer Glen (24,529 residents)South Elgin (24,217 residents)Collinsville (24,031 residents)Rolling Meadows (24,027 residents)Kankakee (23,996 residents)Elmwood Park (23,868 residents)Westmont (23,724 residents)Yorkville (23,617 residents)Freeport (23,505 residents)
Map of Illinois: the 100 largest cities

Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.

Open the sortable tables of all 100 cities →

By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.

🆕 Work guides: live jobs + official data, law, permits, pay and cost of living. United States · Illinois · all 100 cities + map → · all 102 counties → · Illinois rankings · all 51 states → · 200 largest companies · 240 best job niches · Federal jobs in Illinois

CITY + METRO Official statistics Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year (via Census Reporter) · BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 · Data: ACS 2020–2024; OEWS May 2025

City rankings

Largest Cities in Illinois

Ranked by population.

Cities With the Cheapest Rent in Illinois

Ranked by median rent a month.

Cities With the Highest Household Income in Illinois

Ranked by median household income.

Cities Where Rent Takes the Smallest Share of Income in Illinois

Ranked by yearly rent as share of income.

Cities With the Lowest Unemployment in Illinois

Ranked by unemployment (acs).

Cities in the Highest-Paying Counties in Illinois

Ranked by county average annual pay.

Most College-Educated Cities in Illinois

Ranked by bachelor's degree or higher.

Cities With the Most Homeowners in Illinois

Ranked by homeowners (share of households).

Cities With the Most Remote Work in Illinois

Ranked by work from home.

Cities With the Shortest Commutes in Illinois

Ranked by commute of 45 minutes or more.

Best metro areas by occupation

Best Illinois metro areas for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand

Pay and jobs by metro area.

Best Illinois metro areas for general and operations managers

Pay and jobs by metro area.

Best Illinois metro areas for cashiers

Pay and jobs by metro area.

Best Illinois metro areas for registered nurses

Pay and jobs by metro area.

Best Illinois metro areas for home health and personal care aides

Pay and jobs by metro area.

Best Illinois metro areas for fast food and counter workers

Pay and jobs by metro area.

Best Illinois metro areas for retail salespersons

Pay and jobs by metro area.

Best Illinois metro areas for stockers and order fillers

Pay and jobs by metro area.

Best Illinois metro areas for customer service representatives

Pay and jobs by metro area.

Best Illinois metro areas for office clerks, general

Pay and jobs by metro area.

Best Illinois metro areas for janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners

Pay and jobs by metro area.

Best Illinois metro areas for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

Pay and jobs by metro area.

Best Illinois metro areas for miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators

Pay and jobs by metro area.

Best Illinois metro areas for secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive

Pay and jobs by metro area.

Best Illinois metro areas for waiters and waitresses

Pay and jobs by metro area.

Sources

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