2019 Best Places to Live in Will CountyAbout this List

Frankfort

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 51

Current Resident: Frankfort is a beautiful quaint town. I love the variety of things to do with my family no matter what season it is. Early spring and summer a fresh farmers market begins in the historical area of Frankfort. This allows for local farmers to bring their produce into town and sell it. I love what Frankfort stands for and how nice of a community it is for younger and older generations!
Read 51 Reviews

• A

• A

• 18,572 Population

Bolingbrook

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 209

Current Resident: I have lived in Bolingbrook pretty much my entire life, almost. I am currently 20 years old now. It has a very homey feeling to it, but that might be personal bias. There is a lot to do, depending on what you are looking for. There's plenty of parks for kids, plenty of food options to pick from, and lots of shopping places from the promenade with friends to grocery shopping for essentials! I feel well connected to surrounding areas and don't feel too "closed off", as Bolingbrook is pretty close to anything you would need.
Read 209 Reviews

• A-

• A

• 74,548 Population

Mokena

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 41

Current Resident: I love this town! My husband and I started looking for our first new home together and we both decided that we loved Mokena and have been living here since 2013. There are many paths, parks, and activities available to residents to promote a healthy living life style. Also, Mokena has a nice downtown area that appears to be building up. The only wish I have is that they would bring back their farmers market and continue to promote the downtown growth. That being though, my husband and I have been very happy with our choice of moving here!
Read 41 Reviews

• A-

• A

• 20,313 Population

New Lenox

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 93

Current Resident: New Lenox is amazing! There is no place with a Mayor that is more involved. If he were Governor, our State wouldn't be such a disaster! This is the best town for families, with great schools and almost no crime.
Read 93 Reviews

• A-

• A-

• 25,701 Population

Lockport

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 59

Current Resident: I have lived in Lockport my entire life. I went to elementary school, middle school, and high school here. I like that it is considered a small-ish town compared to others around because I feel I am closer to the people that live here. The high school is very big because of how many towns are integrated into it, which I feel is a preparation for going to college.
Read 59 Reviews

• A-

• A

• 25,198 Population

Crest Hill

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 34

Current Resident: Many activities, many amazing places to eat, great community even if it's small. Many of the houses are nice and everything is so close to home. There's so many forest preserves near by for pets or bird watching. I really enjoy living here.
Read 34 Reviews

• B+

• A

• 20,368 Population

Homer Glen

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 64

Nearby Resident: Homer Glen is a wonderful suburb of Chicago that allows residents to choose to have enough privacy to maintain from their home surrounded by beautiful nature and wildlife. Living in Homer Glen is pretty rural but residents may still have neighbors. People who live in Homer Glen are absolutely wonderful who you cant trust, and everyone looks out for each other. However, there have recently been some industrial parks added to our community and while some people may not be affected yet, in the long run, everyone will experience this new taste in scenery. Not much traffic when traveling through Homer Glen and it is surrounded by major areas such as Lockport, Joliet, Orland Park and many other cities. Homer Glen does not have a lot to offer for fun, but traveling to the surrounding areas will be worth it. If you are someone who likes to live in small communities, this is the place for you.
Read 64 Reviews

• B+

• A

• 24,403 Population

Shorewood

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 61

Current Resident: The area is growing as real estate continues to improve. There is still plenty of forest preserve to reconnect with nature. The park district is open to people of all ages and very family friendly. The police dept is friendly and outgoing, consistently providing a sense of safety. Commerce is improving every year.
Read 61 Reviews

• B+

• B+

• 16,809 Population

Fairmont

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

• B+

• A

• 2,595 Population

Manhattan

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 16

Current Resident: Manhattan is a small community, with around 7,000-10,000 residents. If you are a person that is looking for a place with a fancy and energetic nightlife, then Manhattan is not the town for you. Manhattan has very little large businesses present, but there is no shortage of nice affordable housing.
Read 16 Reviews

• B+

• A

• 7,766 Population

Channahon

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 45

Current Resident: Nature abounds in Channahon, with three rivers, several parks, the I & M corridor, and historical Native American burial mounds, etc. Excellent police force that diligently enforces the law, to ensure practically no crime! Property taxes are unusually high, primarily due to the local schools' budgets and spending, and the cost of teachers' and staffs' generous salaries, benefits, and pension funds. Numerous chemical factories cause frequent offensive odors in the air, throughout the entire village. Cellular phones DO NOT work well in some neighborhoods, due to very restrictive village tower regulations. There are many cell phone DEAD ZONES throughout Channahon, and very limited choice of carriers. Only one major supermarket, and the usual fast food franchises, with a few stand alone retail, and service businesses and dining venues.
Weather is cold, icy and snow in Winter, hot and humid in Summer, with beautiful ( but too short) Springs and Autumns.
Read 45 Reviews

• B+

• B+

• 12,455 Population

Romeoville

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 143

Current Resident: Romeoville is quite honestly, the best town I have ever lived in! I have moved around a lot in my life and Romeoville has the only place that has felt like home right away. The neighbors are so kind but not only that, this town is a bit small so when you go to the stores or restaurants, people actually know you. I have never had any complaints about noise or construction. The neighbors keep noise down and if they ever have parties, they let us know. We have a warehouse behind our home and when the workers go on break, they are very respectful to keep the noise down, especially 2nd and 3rd shift workers. Overall, this town is wonderful!
Read 143 Reviews

• B+

• B+

• 39,682 Population

Crete

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 35

Current Resident: I have lived in Crete for seventeen years. I played for the town's baseball team. I have attended multiple community events. I have seen businesses come and go, kids grow up, and families move in and out. The sense of community in Crete is primarily what makes it a great place to live. There are parades every year, Easter egg hunts, baseball and softball games, city-wide yard sales, Halloween haunted houses, Christmas parties that take up entire streets. The school is close, and there is no shortage of restaurants, grocery stores, gyms, etc.
Read 35 Reviews

• B

• C-

• 8,210 Population

Rockdale

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 3

Niche User: I love my community because of the cultural/racial diversity.
Read 3 Reviews

• B

• B

• 2,048 Population

Joliet

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 328

Current Resident: Living in Joliet, IL isn't bad as everyone thinks. I enjoy the city! Great places to go around with family/friends. I appreciate what the city has to offer to me. Things that can change here in Joliet are the traffic jams that can happen at times. The city has great public programs/ organizations that children and adults can enjoy! Joliet is a well-rounded city that people can live happily. The most important thing I really love about the city is when people gather to have events. For example, "Taste of Joliet" is a great example where people all over Joliet and other cities come together and experience a great feeling to food vendors, carnival, kids zone, and headline entertainment!
Read 328 Reviews

• B

• B

• 148,172 Population

Frankfort Square

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 12

Current Resident: Frankfort Square is a small suburb town with a well-known high school district, Lincoln-Way, which has an outstanding college prep approach helping high school students be prepared for college. Also with the atmosphere is fun and encourages family and friends while staying active with the amount of athletes who live in the area.
Read 12 Reviews

• B

• B+

• 9,205 Population

Crystal Lawns

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 4

• B

• B

• 2,170 Population

Monee

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 8

Current Resident: Absolutely amazing and quiet place to live....there are golf courses to go ....you can go fishing in the retention ponds around
Read 8 Reviews

• B

• C

• 5,125 Population

Elwood

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 25

Current Resident: I have lived in Elwood for 20 years and will continue to do so. Elwood is a small town with a population of 2,300. By living here, I have learned what a family truly is. Elwood grade school was where I first encountered family. There were 42 kids in my graduating class and we were all so close. We cared for one another and were like brothers and sisters. Even to this day, I know they would still have my back if something went wrong. I also encountered family when dreadful events occurred. Some examples are, family deaths, accidents, or even horrible events around the world. We all came together to help and overcome obstacles. What I would like to see changed in Elwood, is school spirit. I think we need more of it, I believe the school should get more attention. I also think Elwood needs more safety rules. Since the Intermodal has been around, Elwood does not feel as safe as it used to. Other than that, Elwood is a place I will always refer to as home.
Read 25 Reviews

• B

• B-

• 2,286 Population

Preston Heights

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 8

• B-

• B-

• 2,817 Population

Braidwood

• Town in Illinois
• 15

Current Resident: Braidwood is a great and homey town to live in. There are many fast-food restaurants in this area such as McDonalds, Subway, and Dairy Queen. There are also plenty of gas-stations, which is very convenient to many people. There are near-by schools that are also very helpful because they are right in the town. Braidwood has a lot of activities for the people in it to enjoy. The Braidwood Rec Club is a fun and enjoyable place for everyone to enjoy, while engaging with their neighbors. Braidwood is a great town in my opinion and I'm sure many other people would agree.
Read 15 Reviews

• B-

• B

• 6,273 Population

Peotone

• Town in Illinois
• 20

Niche User: There is very little crime in Peotone. I have never had an issue with crime personally. One bank here has been robbed 3 different times, due to its proximity to the highway, but that is the biggest issue I can recall.
Read 20 Reviews

• B-

• B-

• 4,180 Population

Beecher

• Town in Illinois
• 18

Current Resident: It is full of small town charm while resting comfortably between larger towns that have grocery stores and conveniences. It's also close to the Indiana border.
Read 18 Reviews

• B-

• C+

• 4,409 Population

Wilmington

• Town in Illinois
• 17

Former Resident: Wilmington is the definition of home town pride. The people are great and the schools are good. Everyone goes out of their way to help each other when someone is in bad health. You can almost always find some sort of fundraiser or charitable event if that is goin on. The local businesses all t=do their part as well. You can barely find a seat at the football games and you cant miss the motorcycles lighting up to introduce the wildcats!
Read 17 Reviews

• B-

• C+

• 5,845 Population

Willowbrook

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• 1

Current Resident: I came to Willowbrook because I wanted to raise my daughter in a safe neighborhood and so far it's been great. I love the school district especially her High School. I do think that Willowbrook should have a community center for families and kids to participate in activities.
Read 1 Review

• C+

• C-

• 2,041 Population