2022 Most Diverse Places to Live in Illinois

West Ridge

• Neighborhood in Chicago, IL
• •
  Rating 3.51 out of 5  105 reviews

Current Resident: It goes block by block. Many beautiful homes and buildings and friendly neighbors in certain pockets and with real eyesores in others. Extremely diverse and everyone gets along. Hidden gem used to be very affordable compared to the rest of the North side. Unfortunately the affordability and parking is not going to last long. Love my long-time neighbors!...Read 105 Reviews

• grade B+

• grade B minus

• grade A+

• 78,466 Population

Chicago

• City in Illinois
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  Rating 4.17 out of 5  2,567 reviews

Current Resident: Chicago is an incredible city that I've been lucky to call home for over 5 years. Incredibly diverse with rich culture in every neighborhood, the windy city has something to offer everyone. As a queer person, I feel incredibly safe here and am surrounded by community. The CTA, our public transit system, and the city's bike-friendliness have allowed me to happily, easily live here without a car. The winter's are tough, but the summers are worth it!...Read 2,567 Reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B minus

• grade A+

• 2,709,534 Population

Zion

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
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  Rating 3.36 out of 5  67 reviews

Current Resident: We live in a central location to go many places, however, we have a lively small downtown in Zion and there is usually something going on or a place for you to go. Though, parts of Zion can be dangerous and more crime ridden, the entire city isn't that way. The city is a working class city and have I had crime happen in my neighborhood? Yes, my parents' cars have been ransacked and there was a big-time burglar that lived down the street from us. But, this doesn't define my experience or made it any worse. There's good and bad to every place that people live but it's what you do to make that experience the best for yourself...Read 67 Reviews

• grade C+

• grade C+

• grade A+

• 23,858 Population

Glendale Heights

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
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  Rating 3.84 out of 5  93 reviews

Former Resident: Glendale Heights is a village in DuPage County in suburban Chicago. It's a wonderful place to be because of the diverse culture and various people there. As a result of its size, the communtiy is very close-knit, safe, and a has a healthy enviroment. I've been living here for the past eleven years and I can truly say that this is a great place to be! The library, sports hub, and police department have events often that help the kids in the area learn about new and fascinating things. The school districts are great too...Read 93 Reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A

• grade A+

• 34,079 Population

Bolingbrook

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
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  Rating 3.81 out of 5  243 reviews

Current Resident: Bolingbrook is a nice place to live with an up and coming economy that was boosted a few years back with the construction of the Promenade Bolingbrook Mall and surrounding commercial success. The are is diverse, with multiple predominantly Spanish companies and stores. Safety and medicine are secure in the area with a wonderful police force and state of the art medical equipment in the hospital. Recreation is abundant including a large public library, many parks, restaurants, bars, nature opportunities, and family friendly activities available. Set between two major highways, easy access to public transportation including trains and busses, and set between other major Chicago suburbs, Bolingbrook isn’t a prime location...Read 243 Reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• grade A+

• 74,431 Population

Preston Heights

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
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  Rating 2.25 out of 5  8 reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B minus

• grade A+

• 2,651 Population

Bridgeport

• Neighborhood in Chicago, IL
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  Rating 3.77 out of 5  79 reviews

Current Resident: Bridgeport Is an up and coming town. A lot of new rebuilds. Its a town full of art! Home of the Bridgeport art Center, and the White Sox! Lots of great Asian restaurants since we are near China town, and quite the diverse community with all races leaving on one block! It is also a town full of retired police force and is known for it's history with racism and horrific acts of violence, but that seems to have changed quite a bit with a new generation having populated this area!...Read 79 Reviews

• grade B

• grade B minus

• grade A+

• 34,540 Population

North Park

• Neighborhood in Chicago, IL
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  Rating 3.7 out of 5  40 reviews

Current Resident: What I like about North Park is that is calm. The neighborhood is clean and yes there might be a cemetery but what I like the most is like I said before that is calm, is close to a University and a High school...Read 40 Reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B minus

• grade A+

• 18,914 Population

Albany Park

• Neighborhood in Chicago, IL
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  Rating 3.5 out of 5  129 reviews

Current Resident: Albany Park is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Chicago. It's a hidden gem. The neighborhood is full of local shops, restaurants, bakeries, and international grocery stores. There are many parks and a nature preserve near by. The neighborhood is more quiet than some others in Chicago, but the Brown line is a short walk away, and it will get you to many of the most popular and bustling neighborhoods in the city in no time!...Read 129 Reviews

• grade B+

• grade B minus

• grade A+

• 49,806 Population

Little Italy/UIC

• Neighborhood in Chicago, IL
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  Rating 3.52 out of 5  50 reviews

Current Resident: Moved here two years ago, and I love it here. Everything is pretty accessible by walking or CTA within a 15min. The neighborhood is quiet and isn’t as transient as other trendier neighborhoods (if that’s what you’re looking for). A lot of great diverse food and bar options on Taylor St. Definitely feels safer year-after-year...Read 50 Reviews

• grade A

• grade B minus

• grade A+

• 29,990 Population

Rogers Park

• Neighborhood in Chicago, IL
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  Rating 3.81 out of 5  180 reviews

Current Resident: Rogers Park is a great location for college students since Loyola, Northwestern, and North Park campuses are close by. There’s a plethora of ethnic foods to try for any foodie- Indian, Senegalese, Ethiopian, Greek, and more! There are more chain restaurants close to campus which allows students to get meals taken care of even when schedules get really busy. Locations for Target, Aldi, Walgreens, CVS, Whole Foods, and Cermak are scattered around and easily accessible. For people interested in nightlife activities, Rogers Park has its own bars, but also Uptown is pretty close where there are jazz bars, a theater, and late night bars with chill vibes...Read 180 Reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B minus

• grade A+

• 56,941 Population

Aurora

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• •
  Rating 3.62 out of 5  550 reviews

Former Resident: Do not listen to some of these reviews. I was born in Dallas, lived in Oakland for a year, lived in Skokie Illinois for a year, and grew up in Aurora. My whole family is from Illinois and I love this place. This place has my favorite food (Deep dish Chicago pizza, Chicago-Style hotdogs, Italian beef, etc.) and many childhood places (Luigi's, Raging Waves, etc.). However, downtown Naperville is definitely nicer, but downtown Aurora is still really nice. Do not trust some of the statistics and reviews about "bad crime". However, there is a reason I gave this 4 stars... We became broke here and gained debt sadly. After 6th grade, I had to move to Perry Florida, but I'm moving back here, after I graduate from Tallahassee Community College. Everytime I think about this place nostalgia floods back and I can not get it out of my mind. This place is a very underrated gem. So if you like nice medium cities with people and charm this is definitely the place for you. Love you Aurora!...Read 550 Reviews

• grade B+

• grade B+

• grade A+

• 199,927 Population

Berkeley

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
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  Rating 3.78 out of 5  23 reviews

Current Resident: Berkeley is centrally located. Easy to get to interstate to go to downtown Chicago. They are constantly upgrading the area. We are near a prairie path that joggers, dog walkers and bikers use.Read 23 Reviews

• grade B minus

• grade C

• grade A+

• 5,116 Population

Skokie

• Town in Illinois
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  Rating 4.02 out of 5  225 reviews

Current Resident: Skokie is a great place! The diversity all around you will make you learn about new cultures and different belief systems that make it feel like you’ve traveled around the world, when really you haven’t left your neighborhood. It has a rich history, being a place that many Holocaust survivors moved to after World War II. Additionally, it has great businesses, both local businesses that fill up the downtown area and chain businesses in places like Old Orchard mall. My only real complaint is that there aren’t sidewalks everywhere, and while my inner 4th-grader loves to balance on the curb, walking on the road is not as nice as a good sidewalk...Read 225 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• grade A+

• 63,821 Population

Hillside

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
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  Rating 3.82 out of 5  34 reviews

Current Resident: I liked the small community Hillside provides, with the local shopping district and the humble neighborhood residents.Read 34 Reviews

• grade B minus

• grade C

• grade A+

• 8,080 Population

Hanover Park

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
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  Rating 3.72 out of 5  90 reviews

Current Resident: There's a Target AND a Jewel Osco AND a Michael's near my place! The PetSmart is phenomenal! I also really like the Walmart nearby, good atmosphere.Read 90 Reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A

• grade A+

• 37,984 Population

Galewood

• Neighborhood in Chicago, IL
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  Rating 4.18 out of 5  11 reviews

Current Resident: Galewood is an amazing community. It is a very peaceful, safe and family oriented neighborhood. We have several Metra train stops that will get you into downtown in under 20 minutes. There are beautiful homes throughout the neighborhood with a variety of different architecture. We love this community and could not see ourselves living anywhere else in the city. :)...Read 11 Reviews

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• grade B minus

• grade A+

• 9,224 Population

Chicago Heights

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
• •
  Rating 3.17 out of 5  109 reviews

Current Resident: Got a beautiful home at a great price! Plenty of diamonds in the rough here and banks have grants depending on the area you buy. It's got easy access to many nearby towns with tons of amenities and the local businesses here are great! The ice cream place Zarlengos is fantastic. The people are kind and most keep their homes nice...There are parts of the heights that are a bit poorer but everyone works really hard to make it a good town. Easy to get a hold of our local officials as well. I see lots of opportunity here!Lots of nice neighborhoods by Vollmer and Joe Burr and only getting better!Read 109 Reviews

• grade C+

• grade C+

• grade A+

• 29,856 Population

Wheeling

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
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  Rating 3.63 out of 5  147 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in Wheeling for over 30 years and seen the community grow. I came from the north side of Chicago have seen the park districts grow the parks are newly remodeled and very very clean. The village of Wheeling is very highly patrolled by the police officers a great fire department and public works. Neighbors are friendly and helpful. Great shopping and restaurants in the area. Great public transportation and trains. Excellent public schools. Good walking and bicycle pass. New public library Indian trails public library. During the winter sidewalks are clean by the village of Wheeling public works. Streets and sidewalks during the winter are always clean...Read 147 Reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• grade A+

• 38,499 Population

Lansing

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
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  Rating 3.64 out of 5  105 reviews

Current Resident: Lansing has an amicable atmosphere and everyone for the most part is friendly. We support each other and overall we have a nice safe community. The schools around here give us the necessary tools to move on into adulthood. Very rarely does anything criminal happen. Neighbors leave their doors open, kids play in the streets, and people walk their pets at night. Whenever I go to the park I see happy families. Lansing has unity which I've seen when the protests started. People follow the rules and stay in their houses because of the virus. I feel at peace in Lansing. The only thing that I would change is to increase funding to the schools programs since some clubs suffer because of financial problems. That or more sidewalks and pothole covers but that is because I am a serious bike rider. My parents picked Lansing because they knew that the people and the location were out of the city and therefore safer for us kids to flourish in without many worries or troubles. I am glad to live here...Read 105 Reviews

• grade B minus

• grade C+

• grade A+

• 27,904 Population

Hyde Park

• Neighborhood in Chicago, IL
• •
  Rating 4.05 out of 5  110 reviews

Current Resident: Bought my first home here since September 2021. Lincoln Park was my other option. After a couple of visits in Hyde park I was sold on how vibrant and diverse the neighborhood was. As an African American male It's rare to find a diverse integrated neighborhood in Chicago. Residents are from different cultures, race, and socioeconomic status. Everything you would need is in walking distance (Whole foods, Trader Joes, Target, sit down Restaurants, gyms) and downtown is a train (Metra) ride away. Residents of the community are well educated and likeminded. The neighborhood is well lit, and safe to the point that anybody can go for a jog at night. ...Although this is random, I have notice many dog/pet stores (7), and for me that's a sign of a healthy neighborhood. I can't explain why but it is for me.I wish for more clothing stores (Nike, Zara, H&M, Express, Hugo, Nordstrom, Banana Republic). I am confident that will happen soon.Read 110 Reviews

• grade A

• grade B minus

• grade A+

• 27,482 Population

Fairmont

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

• grade B

• grade A

• grade A+

• 2,699 Population

Joliet

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
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  Rating 3.59 out of 5  377 reviews

Current Resident: I love the diversity Joliet carries in its neighborhoods, but the downtown area really needs some fixing. There are many historical sites for tourists and is home to my entire family!Read 377 Reviews

• grade B

• grade B

• grade A+

• 147,826 Population

Irving Park

• Neighborhood in Chicago, IL
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  Rating 3.58 out of 5  114 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in many neighborhoods in Chicago but Old Irving Park is my favorite. The community is very diverse and so friendy with lots of dogs and kids. We have Korean Catholic, African Methodist, Muslim & Buddhist churches. It’s very economically diverse too & the cheapest place I’ve lived. If you’re city smart, you have no need to worry about safety. Lots of restaurants, thrift stores, and old buildings. Very quiet. There is some littering and it’s not a fully developed neighborhood so some areas closer to busier streets are louder and dirtier. Not much nightlife at all, but I like that because it’s quiet. There is a good mix of condo/home owners and renters, and rent prices are pretty low for the space you get. I just bought a condo here for a very affordable price! Love the area! But don’t tell anyone so our hidden gem remains a secret :)...Read 114 Reviews

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• grade C+

• grade A+

• 53,530 Population

Blue Island

• Suburb of Chicago, IL
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  Rating 3.47 out of 5  60 reviews

Current Resident: This town is diverse of cultures and people, great suburb to raise kids as I have grown up here. I love everything about this town except for the potholes! Great youth programs, public library, local food places and bars. Located in the Midwest not far from Chicago it is close to the city for tourist attractions such as Millennium Park, Navy Pier, all the museums and zoos, as well as beaches...Read 60 Reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B

• grade A+

• 22,611 Population