2023 Best Suburbs to Buy a House in Illinois

• Suburb of Peoria, IL

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  Rating 3.69 out of 5  13 reviews

Current Resident: Lived here my entire life. Small town, mostly white in my experience. Relatively safe. Good schools in the area.... Read 13 reviews

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• grade A

• Population 1,549

• Suburb of Peoria, IL

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  Rating 4 out of 5  8 reviews

Current Resident: Germantown Hills is a small, safe community with friendly neighbors. Most of the community lives in newer homes. There are neighborhood watches and block parties for all to enjoy and feel comforted by. Most things are within walking distance. Newer cross-walks over main roadways have been implemented to promote safety for bikers, runners and children. New side-walks have been built to accommodate locals. There is a local small shopping center with Subway, Dollar General, Chinese food, Ace Hardware, Cefcu bank, Casey’s convenient store, another small bank and gas station. Local parks, and baseball fields. More business’ exist across the street in the same area.... Read 8 reviews

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• Population 3,406

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.44 out of 5  16 reviews

Current Resident: I love where I live. Sometimes I wish I had sidewalks although as a kid I would bike on my neighborhood roads or bike paths and then by major roads there are usually side walks or ways for getting to places without being too dangerous. I wish there was a bit more diversity and a younger population so kids could have more fun with other kids. Overall a little bike ride to a friends house isn’t that bad and the area is very safe.... Read 16 reviews

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• Population 4,093

• Suburb of Springfield, IL

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• Population 1,336

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.06 out of 5  16 reviews

Current Resident: I have been living here for 33 years. Safe and very family friendly. Bedroom community with a lot of open space to enjoy. Several parks with activities. Friendly people and look out for each other. Unfortunately not retirement friendly so off we go to Florida. Most homes are on a minimum of 1 acre. Schools are good. It is part of District 303 schools in Saint Charles. Not a lot of stores. Few restaurants. Not far from all the stores, gyms, movie theatres you could want. One hour on a train gets you downtown Chicago!... Read 16 reviews

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• Population 10,468

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.19 out of 5  16 reviews

Current Resident: I’d say this town is very normal, the things I love are down town long grove and the schools which are full of opportunities. My family moved for a larger house with more space and a good school, this area has both. We live a 5 minute drive away from down town long grove, which has three amazing fun festivals a year which include food and fun with your friends. Also the school district is really good, most/if not all of the students attend Stevenson High school, an amazing school full of great opportunities! I like this area overall, as you can see there are many upsides to living here. However it’s a small town, so I wouldn’t say the area is for everyone, and I’ve always loved the big cities.... Read 16 reviews

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• Population 8,258

• Suburb of Rockford, IL

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  Rating 4.09 out of 5  32 reviews

Current Resident: One of the most amazing aspects of this town is its environment. There is always a positive atmosphere and a sense of security no matter where you are. The town also offers a variety of locally owned businesses all within a reasonable distance. Overall it is a friendly, diverse, and safe environment for everyone!... Read 32 reviews

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• Population 8,051

• Town in Illinois

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  Rating 3.5 out of 5  8 reviews

Current Resident: Auburn is a very good small town. Located about 30 minutes south of Springfield. Pretty good high school academically and athletically. While other schools are better academically, Auburn is still a good place to get your high school education. The people of Auburn are good people, most very passionate about the sports here and show up to represent in the sporting events.... Read 8 reviews

• grade B+

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• grade A

• Population 4,563

• Town in Illinois

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  Rating 4 out of 5  1 review

Current Resident: Everyone is very friendly, along with a great hospitality. The school has been in the process of remodeling, and the contractors are working their best to get the job done on their deadline in the spring. We have a subdivision that is slowly growing into a beautiful place for newcomers to live.... Read 1 review

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• Population 2,484

• Suburb in Illinois

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  Rating 4.15 out of 5  13 reviews

Current Resident: Columbia is a very safe community with lots of caring and helpful people. It has a good school system and lots of places to work. Columbia is a quiet town that is right outside of St. Louis so it is very close to take a trip to the city. One thing I would like to see changed is that I wish there were more diversity in this town. I believe that it would enrich the culture of the town and make it an overall safer and happier place to live.... Read 13 reviews

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• Population 11,090

• Suburb of Springfield, IL

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  Rating 4 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: Sherman is part of a Williamsville school district. The school district is excellent as the school board and its teachers have the students best interest. Also, the schools are typically 2A and very competitive and successful in most sports. No safety concerns in Sherman and the village continues to grow economically at a good pace. Not much night life other than a couple of bars and a couple of decent restaurants. However, Sherman is within 5-12 miles of major stores, restaurants, the mall, movie theaters, etc. Overall, Sherman is a great village that is centrally located in the Springfield, Illinois area and a village I would strongly recommend to anyone as a place to live.... Read 5 reviews

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• Population 4,061

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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• Population 1,476

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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• Population 2,714

• Suburb in Illinois

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  Rating 4.33 out of 5  6 reviews

Current Resident: Overall, Port Byron is a great town to live in. There are many nice houses, a great school district, and friendly people. There are quite a few bars/restaurants downtown, but otherwise not much else to do. However, it is only about a twenty minute drive to the Quad Cities, where there are more options.... Read 6 reviews

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• grade B+

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• Population 1,999

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.38 out of 5  21 reviews

Current Resident: I’ve lived in Hawthorn Woods for 22 years. It’s very safe and beautiful. It is close to stores, schools, restaurants, forest preserves, etc. I love Hawthorn Woods!... Read 21 reviews

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• Population 8,959

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.17 out of 5  42 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in Western Springs since I was about 1 year old. I think this town is a great place to raise a family as it is a very safe community with great school systems and recreational sports and activities for kids to get involved in. I have spent many summers nannying various kids in the neighborhood and can tell there are many young families moving from the city into the suburbs and building new, very nice homes. The neighborhood is very tight nit and there is even a Facebook group for the moms of western springs to give recommendations and warnings about things occurring around town. The only thing is that it is quite a bubble and sheltered place, not exposing kids to very much and allowing them to live a more privileged life.... Read 42 reviews

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• Population 13,550

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4 out of 5  27 reviews

Current Resident: Willowbrook is a great community to raise a family. The schools are outstanding, the village services are great. It has diversity and provides wonderful experiences through the park department and the Indian Prairie Library. The taxes are very reasonable for what we get. For those who are not aware, Hinsdale Lake Terrace is not in the village of Willowbrook, but is unincorporated and only shares a zipcode with the village. Those kids do attend Hinsdale Sounth high school, but not Gower district 62.... Read 27 reviews

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• Population 9,178

• Suburb of Springfield, IL

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  Rating 4.07 out of 5  28 reviews

Current Resident: Chatham is a very pleasant and family oriented town. We have a few small shops and places to eat, all in one location, so it’s easy to move from task to task. We have Glenwood High School, which has about 1,400 students. Our town has amazing school spirit! Everywhere in Chatham you can see signs, posters, and pictures spreading school spirit. Our town is filled with diversity! Constantly expanding neighborhoods, new parks, and lots of tailgates and public events bring lots of people into Chatham.... Read 28 reviews

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• Population 14,245

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 3.8 out of 5  20 reviews

Former Resident: Overall, good. The neighborhood is calm and silent. There are not many facilities to attend, however, everything should be good for the family people. Talking about my experience, it was pretty good. I have moved from this place 3 or 4 years ago, but still remember my childhood memories I had always cherished and do not forget it.... Read 20 reviews

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• Population 7,684

• Suburb of Springfield, IL

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  Rating 4 out of 5  1 review

Former Resident: Small town that is really starting to grow. Main Street is adorable with historic houses, a coffee shop, post office, historic library/visiting center, bank, old route 66, and a subway. Springfield is only 10 miles away, Lincoln is about 20 minutes north, Sherman is 5 minutes away. The schools are very good but since everyone knows eachother it can definitely be very "clickish", acceptance could be an issue. Property Taxes are enormous but that is the entire state of Illinois. Definitely small town charm with lots of community events such as parades, festivals, community pancake breakfasts, fireworks, Easter Egg Hunts etc...I was blessed to call it home for several years but got tired of Illinois politics and the Taxes (along with gas/electric, water, trash, etc...) going up every year and shoveling snow. If you love corn and bean fields and typical Small Town USA, you have found your place to call home!... Read 1 review

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• Population 1,452

• Suburb in Illinois

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  Rating 3.86 out of 5  117 reviews

Current Resident: Overall, I believe that O’Fallon is an amazing community. It manages to provide access to a larger city such as St. Louis while simultaneously remaining insulated from the hustle and bustle of the city. For this reason specifically it is an amazing spot to raise children and start a family. While it may not be a booming metropolis, it certainly has a sense of charm to it and remains an excellent spot for those looking to settle down. The town is also incredibly welcoming for military families, as it is located quite closely to Scott Air Force Base and maintains a welcoming community of both current military members and retired ones who have chosen to settle down there. Overall, it is an amazing small town and can act as a nice, calming place for those looking to relax and settle down.... Read 117 reviews

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• Population 31,963

• Town in Illinois

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  Rating 4 out of 5  6 reviews

Nearby Resident: Metamora has safe, generally middle-class neighborhoods and discography. The school system is well funded and well run. As far as a small town in Illinois goes, there is a good amount of stuff to do.... Read 6 reviews

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• grade A

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• Population 4,032

• Suburb of Springfield, IL

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  Rating 4.14 out of 5  7 reviews

Former Resident: Rochester is a great little town to live. Fantastic schools with high education standards: Did you know that if you were to take all of the dual credit classes offered at Rochester high school you could graduate high school with an associate’s? Personally, I feel like the schools are what gave me the skills to attend one of the nation’s top law schools. The town is very safe and the people are friendly. The only things this town is lacking are diversity and night life. But otherwise, it’s a great place to live and certainly a great place to raise a family. Despite the lack of diversity, I found the schools to be incredibly inclusive and sensitive towards minority groups. The community tends to be conservative, but the people seem to be very open to diversity. (I am a member of two types of minority groups). I couldn’t think anymore highly of Rochester. Once I finish my degrees, I hope to return to Rochester and start a family.... Read 7 reviews

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• Population 3,940

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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• Population 2,814

• Town in Illinois

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  Rating 4.2 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: I appreciate receiving the opportunity to grow up in a small town. Everyone knows you and you know everyone, however small towns refuse to change their ways. That is why I would love to see new families join the community bringing in their own ideas from their towns. Given the opportunity, I would be joyful to learn the ways of others at college and be able to come back to my hometown and introduce new ideas and beliefs to others. I know my small town is capable of big things, but it all starts with creating a more diverse community. The best way to introduce new ideas is by bringing diverse backgrounds so children can grow up learning the ways of other diversities. That will help them as they grow up, to be accepting of all people regardless of their: race, religion, or background. Overall, Stillman Valley is your typical small town in the Midwest, people are always there to support you and the community is a big family and I wouldn't trade my experience here for anything.... Read 5 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B+

• grade A minus

• Population 1,277