State rankings

Best Counties to Live in Illinois

Compare counties in Illinois by affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and quality-of-life tradeoffs.

Use the county-size filter to compare large metro counties, mid-size counties, small counties, and rural areas separately. These modules are a starting point, then you can open the full rankings table or compare individual counties.

County size

County size helps compare places with similar scale. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.

Showing all 102 Illinois counties

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Illinois county rankings at a glance

Compact winners for common county-search priorities.

View full Illinois rankings

Top counties by category

Use these short lists to jump into the state rankings that match your priorities.

National rankings

Popular Illinois county comparisons

Put two counties side by side before you narrow the search.

How to choose a county in Illinois

The best county in Illinois depends on what you need most. Families may care more about schools and safety, budget-focused movers may care more about affordability and taxes, and quiet-living households may care more about density and peace & quiet. Large counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so use the county-size filter to compare places with similar scale.

Best for different needs

What to watch before moving to Illinois

Compare county scale carefully in Illinois; large metro counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.

Check town-level housing costs, commute patterns, school districts, and local services before making a final move decision.

Frequently asked questions about the best counties in Illinois

What is the best county to live in Illinois?

The best county depends on your priorities. In this ranking model, Monroe County currently scores highest overall, but families, budget-focused movers, and quiet-living households may prefer different counties.

What is the best county in Illinois for families?

Based on the family ranking blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet, Monroe County stands out in this model.

What is the most affordable county in Illinois?

Crawford County scores highly on affordability in this model, but buyers should still compare home prices, taxes, insurance, commute costs, and local job access.

How should I compare large and small counties?

Use the county-size filter. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so comparing similar county sizes usually gives a more realistic shortlist.

Are these rankings based on reviews?

No. These rankings use public-data signals such as affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and peace & quiet. Local reviews and personal visits should still be part of a final decision.

Which Illinois counties score well for schools or taxes?

Monroe County currently leads the school-score view, while Hardin County stands out on the tax-score view. Use the rankings presets to compare those priorities separately.

All Illinois counties

Showing all 102 Illinois counties ranked by the default generated overall score.

RankCountyOverallEconomyAfford.SchoolsSafetyTaxesPeace & QuietTypical homeIncome
1Monroe County
FIPS 17133
77.280.969.89896.413.283.3$325,385$102,880
2Clinton County
FIPS 17027
76.172.180.691.996.47.885.3$217,319$86,588
3Effingham County
FIPS 17049
73.868.779.180.293.422.390.7$211,543$80,404
4Woodford County
FIPS 17203
73.671.883.195.772.84.786.8$221,363$91,483
5Piatt County
FIPS 17147
737286.273.884.914.190.1$215,218$94,811
6Shelby County
FIPS 17173
7258.686.268.697.728.991$161,882$72,095
7Cumberland County
FIPS 17035
70.970.588.145.197.930.988.7$160,742$73,327
8Ford County
FIPS 17053
69.555.583.679.690.77.390.2$150,970$62,439
9Douglas County
FIPS 17041
68.166.88945.694.712.291.2$154,287$77,320
10Massac County
FIPS 17127
68.145.689.276.886.11985.2$112,646$65,116
11Wayne County
FIPS 17191
67.951.48968.881.323.889.2$121,052$55,521
12Edgar County
FIPS 17045
67.748.494.851.895.524.394.9$98,376$59,941
13Calhoun County
FIPS 17013
67.661.282.574.472.923.870.4$191,064$93,203
14Kendall County
FIPS 17093
676963.884.294.6056.1$389,876$111,601
15Livingston County
FIPS 17105
66.758.684.261.388.68.591.4$163,480$73,790
16Hancock County
FIPS 17067
66.157.591.147.291.813.287.4$110,782$65,865
17Macoupin County
FIPS 17117
65.950.390.256.791.815.981.7$134,474$70,805
18Marshall County
FIPS 17123
65.955.690.151.394.3984.2$134,025$71,585
19Washington County
FIPS 17189
65.959.490.354.381.89.887.6$157,367$78,224
20Jasper County
FIPS 17079
65.862.186.273.652.318.186.2$168,590$74,755
21Jersey County
FIPS 17083
65.75979.768.980.711.380.1$196,452$80,361
22Montgomery County
FIPS 17135
65.563.690.243.283.314.889.6$121,155$63,620
23Grundy County
FIPS 17063
65.455.664.687.691.5082.3$315,211$92,235
24Jo Daviess County
FIPS 17085
65.45964.677.692.98.384.2$247,009$73,993
25Ogle County
FIPS 17141
65.253.276.468.496.23.985.7$218,880$82,132
26Whiteside County
FIPS 17195
65.249.789.157.491.7988.1$138,238$67,500
27Brown County
FIPS 17009
65.163.182.238.898.315.194.9$152,417$67,917
28Clark County
FIPS 17023
65.150.890.347.193.719.688$139,900$72,927
29Wabash County
FIPS 17185
65.147.888.841.710032.586.8$119,814$57,086
30McHenry County
FIPS 17111
64.966.465.68877.8051.8$357,917$104,802
31Hamilton County
FIPS 17065
64.645.593.448.986.427.887.3$110,772$65,746
32Mercer County
FIPS 17131
64.549.887.359.987.28.986.2$163,935$74,182
33Richland County
FIPS 17159
64.459.385.142.884.126.490.3$133,091$62,455
34Crawford County
FIPS 17033
645496.127.894.721.192$122,029$71,674
35Moultrie County
FIPS 17139
6453.280.749.29223.392$181,415$71,784
36Bond County
FIPS 17005
63.947.781.959.895.87.288$162,558$65,959
37Henry County
FIPS 17073
63.547.285.45298.5789$163,773$71,911
38Stark County
FIPS 17175
63.545.48955.478.825.888.1$131,532$62,878
39Logan County
FIPS 17107
63.343.586.854.494.510.592.3$136,794$66,358
40Putnam County
FIPS 17155
6347.582.353.296.713.780.8$179,202$75,590
41Scott County
FIPS 17171
62.8449537.894.618.887.7$89,289$66,705
42Williamson County
FIPS 17199
62.549.584.653.390.17.680.4$149,240$65,604
43Menard County
FIPS 17129
62.463.282.636.4898.888.4$199,170$82,176
44Iroquois County
FIPS 17075
6246.786.965.467.99.488.5$149,561$66,255
45Morgan County
FIPS 17137
61.948.488.641.591.411.289.8$128,347$66,306
46Mason County
FIPS 17125
61.74291.649.787.311.483.4$92,676$62,845
47Carroll County
FIPS 17015
61.54377.35894.215.183.7$156,363$60,758
48McDonough County
FIPS 17109
61.538.287.451.797.36.390.8$92,986$52,795
49Madison County
FIPS 17119
61.559.5804591.8665.6$193,117$75,793
50Greene County
FIPS 17061
61.351.789.432.493.315.879.8$101,093$62,192
51White County
FIPS 17193
61.145.890.543.377.224.986.3$104,282$54,813
52Sangamon County
FIPS 17167
60.75677.650.984.94.478.9$190,360$75,357
53Lawrence County
FIPS 17101
60.639.492.25558.535.188.7$95,312$55,324
54Perry County
FIPS 17145
60.640.294.436.592.914.585.9$104,883$62,118
55Randolph County
FIPS 17157
60.449.784.123.998.530.187.7$153,971$68,131
56Adams County
FIPS 17001
60.256.477.634.192.214.892.3$177,656$66,220
57Tazewell County
FIPS 17179
60.25683.172.2435.180.3$183,602$77,982
58Edwards County
FIPS 17047
59.240.790.246.363.932.488.6$115,421$60,519
59Clay County
FIPS 17025
5936.191.329.692.430.886.7$107,024$60,417
60Christian County
FIPS 17021
58.749.587.53870.418.789.2$128,570$62,611
61Coles County
FIPS 17029
58.649.176.839.194.7689.9$140,128$56,478
62Schuyler County
FIPS 17169
58.538.886.927.896.425.390$145,816$65,948
63McLean County
FIPS 17113
58.258.267.382.640086.7$251,617$79,905
64Knox County
FIPS 17095
57.840.587.437.786.59.188.3$111,709$57,030
65Cass County
FIPS 17017
57.749.694.7597.214.791.2$96,603$68,125
66Lake County
FIPS 17097
57.761.160.185.362.7018.5$384,534$110,416
67Lee County
FIPS 17103
57.548.279.732.693.96.286.9$174,240$70,292
68Pike County
FIPS 17149
57.550.887.915.885.125.786.7$113,376$59,777
69Will County
FIPS 17197
57.562.466.880.751.3027.9$366,080$109,984
70St. Clair County
FIPS 17163
57.350.379.439912.662.9$175,665$73,854
71Fayette County
FIPS 17051
56.54089.219.489.824.987.4$142,741$60,944
72De Witt County
FIPS 17039
56.454.587.719.274.813.189$148,664$71,678
73Fulton County
FIPS 17057
56.241.391.82485.69.585.8$95,759$60,599
74Johnson County
FIPS 17087
5637.973.447.47437.477.7$189,505$62,528
75Franklin County
FIPS 17055
55.637.192.71792.617.881.3$89,412$56,740
76Bureau County
FIPS 17011
55.436.48828.287.51090.6$143,492$69,257
77Henderson County
FIPS 17071
55.342.889.928.863.926.383.9$122,063$62,227
78Union County
FIPS 17181
55.237.579.927.3843486.8$150,462$55,728
79DeKalb County
FIPS 17037
54.547.151.757.195.7080$289,255$70,724
80Saline County
FIPS 17165
54.545.192.98.783.713.986.1$84,756$53,117
81Marion County
FIPS 17121
54.441902174.718.388.6$117,481$61,240
82Peoria County
FIPS 17143
54.239.679.834.191.9075$156,125$65,108
83Stephenson County
FIPS 17177
5446.880.726.681.4288.6$153,776$64,043
84Boone County
FIPS 17007
53.743.869.538.391.9078.1$280,540$84,571
85Macon County
FIPS 17115
53.234.286.420.994.46.481.3$123,099$62,666
86Jefferson County
FIPS 17081
53.144.485.517.176.811.689.6$134,910$63,118
87Gallatin County
FIPS 17059
52.73392.31581.918.585.7$79,256$59,219
88Kane County
FIPS 17089
52.660.96056.467.1019.7$373,804$103,163
89DuPage County
FIPS 17043
51.467.952.897.64.8019.1$432,425$112,096
90Rock Island County
FIPS 17161
51.436.583.816.794.91.872$151,236$67,159
91Kankakee County
FIPS 17091
51.341.97029.290079.5$217,322$71,281
92LaSalle County
FIPS 17099
49.738.178.236.158.54.283.4$188,570$73,045
93Vermilion County
FIPS 17183
49.72790.211.283.113.487.5$95,715$56,877
94Pope County
FIPS 17151
49.542.578.716.351.545.174.5$150,792$60,050
95Warren County
FIPS 17187
49.444.990.720.934.71592.7$112,082$67,385
96Jackson County
FIPS 17077
48.534.172.821.188.31.384.2$123,804$48,763
97Hardin County
FIPS 17069
4843.188.610.630.14775.4$98,799$54,271
98Winnebago County
FIPS 17201
47.537.268.722.991.9054.1$202,626$65,837
99Alexander County
FIPS 17003
45.923.287.73.5801873$54,552$47,043
100Champaign County
FIPS 17019
43.848.856.946.925.9081.4$231,346$63,683
101Cook County
FIPS 17031
38.646.450.839.138014.9$326,039$83,498
102Pulaski County
FIPS 17153
37.211.685.22.33534.975.1$69,792$42,463