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Best Overall Cities in Illinois

7 cities ranked · Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions.

Top Cities in Illinois

  1. #1
    A

    Aurora

    Best Overall Cities score 82 · MoveScore 82

  2. #2
    B

    Naperville

    Best Overall Cities score 71 · MoveScore 71

  3. #3
    C

    Peoria

    Best Overall Cities score 64 · MoveScore 64

  4. #4
    C

    Springfield

    Best Overall Cities score 64 · MoveScore 64

  5. #5
    C

    Chicago

    Best Overall Cities score 63 · MoveScore 63

  6. #6
    D

    Rockford

    Best Overall Cities score 55 · MoveScore 55

  7. #7
    F

    Joliet

    Best Overall Cities score 38 · MoveScore 38

Other Illinois Rankings

Best for Safety in Illinois

Lowest crime rates per FBI UCR — best for families sensitive to violent and property crime.

Best for Water Quality in Illinois

Cleanest drinking water per EPA SDWIS — fewest violations, highest safety scores.

Best for Air Quality in Illinois

Cleanest air per EPA AQS — lowest median AQI and fewest unhealthy days.

Best for Public Schools in Illinois

Strongest public school performance per NCES/EDFacts — highest average proficiency.

Best Fiscal Health in Illinois

Strongest municipal fiscal health per Census ASPEP — sustainable per-capita spending.

Best for Hospital Care in Illinois

Highest-rated hospitals per CMS HCAHPS — best patient experience scores.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which city in Illinois ranks highest for best overall cities?

Aurora, IL ranks #1 in Illinois for best overall cities with a sub-score of 82/100 (MoveScore 82, grade A).

How many cities in Illinois are compared?

7 Illinois cities have enough federal data for this ranking. Cities need at least three of six sub-scores for inclusion.

How is this ranking calculated?

Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions. Sub-scores are normalized to 0-100 and the highest scores rank first.

Sources: FBI UCR, EPA, NCES, Census ASPEP, CMS HCAHPS
Last updated:

Illinois-specific ranking using the composite MoveScore, normalized to 0-100. Cities need at least three federal sub-scores to be included.