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Thinking of moving to Illinois? Anyone can settle in as a resident of the Land of Lincoln, as this Midwest state offers everything from quiet, rural living to a fast-paced city lifestyle.
Agricultural jobs are plentiful in Illinois, as the state’s 75,000 farms are feeding the world. But farming only scrapes the surface of industries thriving here. Illinois is a top dog when it comes to biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, food production (do brands like General Mills and Sara Lee ring any bells?), energy and logistics. And we can’t forget about Chicago. The Windy City is a global business destination, drawing businesses and talent from all over the world.
Speaking of attracting people from far and wide, the state’s sports teams – the Cubs, White Sox, Bulls, Bears and Blackhawks – are reason enough to move to Illinois. But add to all of this a slew of top-notch restaurants (Chicago alone has 5,000), the Shawnee National Forest, the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, and Fox River Valley, which includes a 40-mile bike trail, and we’ve got … well, your perfect state.
Read on to learn more about working and living in Illinois.
Choose Greater Peoria
This digital edition of the Choose Greater Peoria is sponsored by Greater Peoria Leadership Council.
Quick Facts About Illinois
- Median Household Income
- $130,321
- Average Property Tax
- $2982.53
- State Population
- 12,788,767
- Sales Tax Rate
- 0.0625%
- Median Monthly Rent
- $1,160
Places We Love In Illinois
Cities in Illinois on Livability.com
- Addison, IL
- Algonquin, IL
- Alsip, IL
- Alton, IL
- Antioch, IL
- Arlington Heights, IL
- Aurora, IL
- Barrington, IL
- Bartlett, IL
- Bartonville, IL
- Batavia, IL
- Beach Park, IL
- Beardstown, IL
- Belleville, IL
- Bellwood, IL
- Belvidere, IL
- Bensenville, IL
- Benton, IL
- Berkeley, IL
- Berwyn, IL
- Bethalto, IL
- Bloomingdale, IL
- Bloomington, IL
- Blue Island, IL
- Bolingbrook, IL
- Boulder Hill, IL
- Bourbonnais, IL
- Bradley, IL
- Braidwood, IL
- Bridgeview, IL
- Broadview, IL
- Brookfield, IL
- Buffalo Grove, IL
- Burbank, IL
- Burr Ridge, IL
- Cahokia, IL
- Calumet City, IL
- Calumet Park, IL
- Campton Hills, IL
- Candlewick Lake, IL
- Canton, IL
- Carbondale, IL
- Carlinville, IL
- Carmi, IL
- Carol Stream, IL
- Carpentersville, IL
- Carterville, IL
- Cary, IL
- Centralia, IL
- Champaign, IL
- Channahon, IL
- Charleston, IL
- Chatham, IL
- Chester, IL
- Chicago Heights, IL
- Chicago Ridge, IL
- Chicago, IL
- Chillicothe, IL
- Cicero, IL
- Clarendon Hills, IL
- Clinton, IL
- Coal City, IL
- Collinsville, IL
- Colona, IL
- Columbia, IL
- Country Club Hills, IL
- Countryside, IL
- Crest Hill, IL
- Crestwood, IL
- Crete, IL
- Creve Coeur, IL
- Crystal Lake, IL
- Danville, IL
- Darien, IL
- Decatur, IL
- Deerfield, IL
- DeKalb, IL
- Des Plaines, IL
- Dixon, IL
- Dolton, IL
- Downers Grove, IL
- Du Quoin, IL
- East Alton, IL
- East Moline, IL
- East Peoria, IL
- East St. Louis, IL
- Edwardsville, IL
- Effingham, IL
- Elburn, IL
- Elgin, IL
- Elk Grove Village, IL
- Elmhurst, IL
- Elmwood Park, IL
- Eureka, IL
- Evanston, IL
- Evergreen Park, IL
- Fairfield, IL
- Fairview Heights, IL
- Flossmoor, IL
- Forest Park, IL
- Fox Lake, IL
- Frankfort Square, IL
- Frankfort, IL
- Franklin Park, IL
- Freeport, IL
- Gages Lake, IL
- Galesburg, IL
- Geneseo, IL
- Geneva, IL
- Genoa, IL
- Gilberts, IL
- Glen Carbon, IL
- Glen Ellyn, IL
- Glencoe, IL
- Glendale Heights, IL
- Glenview, IL
- Glenwood, IL
- Godfrey, IL
- Grandwood Park, IL
- Granite City, IL
- Grayslake, IL
- Greenville, IL
- Gurnee, IL
- Hampshire, IL
- Hanover Park, IL
- Harrisburg, IL
- Harvard, IL
- Harvey, IL
- Harwood Heights, IL
- Hawthorn Woods, IL
- Hazel Crest, IL
- Herrin, IL
- Hickory Hills, IL
- Highland Park, IL
- Highland, IL
- Highwood, IL
- Hillsboro, IL
- Hillside, IL
- Hinsdale, IL
- Hoffman Estates, IL
- Homer Glen, IL
- Homewood, IL
- Hoopeston, IL
- Huntley, IL
- Inverness, IL
- Island Lake, IL
- Itasca, IL
- Jacksonville, IL
- Jerseyville, IL
- Johnsburg, IL
- Joliet, IL
- Justice, IL
- Kankakee, IL
- Kewanee, IL
- La Grange Park, IL
- La Grange, IL
- Lake Barrington, IL
- Lake Bluff, IL
- Lake Forest, IL
- Lake in the Hills, IL
- Lake Villa, IL
- Lake Zurich, IL
- Lakemoor, IL
- Lansing, IL
- LaSalle, IL
- Lemont, IL
- Libertyville, IL
- Lincoln, IL
- Lincolnshire, IL
- Lincolnwood, IL
- Lindenhurst, IL
- Lisle, IL
- Litchfield, IL
- Lockport, IL
- Lombard, IL
- Long Grove, IL
- Loves Park, IL
- Lynwood, IL
- Lyons, IL
- Machesney Park, IL
- Macomb, IL
- Mahomet, IL
- Manhattan, IL
- Manteno, IL
- Marengo, IL
- Marion, IL
- Markham, IL
- Maryville, IL
- Mascoutah, IL
- Matteson, IL
- Mattoon, IL
- Maywood, IL
- McHenry, IL
- Melrose Park, IL
- Mendota, IL
- Metropolis, IL
- Midlothian, IL
- Minooka, IL
- Mokena, IL
- Moline, IL
- Monee, IL
- Monmouth, IL
- Montgomery, IL
- Monticello, IL
- Morris, IL
- Morton Grove, IL
- Morton, IL
- Mount Carmel, IL
- Mount Prospect, IL
- Mount Vernon, IL
- Mount Zion, IL
- Mundelein, IL
- Murphysboro, IL
- Naperville, IL
- New Lenox, IL
- Niles, IL
- Normal, IL
- Norridge, IL
- North Aurora, IL
- North Chicago, IL
- North Riverside, IL
- Northbrook, IL
- Northfield, IL
- Northlake, IL
- O’Fallon, IL
- Oak Brook, IL
- Oak Forest, IL
- Oak Lawn, IL
- Oak Park, IL
- Olney, IL
- Orland Hills, IL
- Orland Park, IL
- Oswego, IL
- Ottawa, IL
- Palatine, IL
- Palos Heights, IL
- Palos Hills, IL
- Palos Park, IL
- Pana, IL
- Paris, IL
- Park City, IL
- Park Forest, IL
- Park Ridge, IL
- Pekin, IL
- Peoria Heights, IL
- Peoria, IL
- Peru, IL
- Pinckneyville, IL
- Pingree Grove, IL
- Plainfield, IL
- Plano, IL
- Pontiac, IL
- Pontoon Beach, IL
- Poplar Grove, IL
- Posen, IL
- Princeton, IL
- Prospect Heights, IL
- Quincy, IL
- Rantoul, IL
- Richton Park, IL
- River Forest, IL
- River Grove, IL
- Riverdale, IL
- Riverside, IL
- Robbins, IL
- Robinson, IL
- Rochelle, IL
- Rock Falls, IL
- Rock Island, IL
- Rockford, IL
- Rockton, IL
- Rolling Meadows, IL
- Romeoville, IL
- Roscoe, IL
- Roselle, IL
- Round Lake Beach, IL
- Round Lake Park, IL
- Round Lake, IL
- Salem, IL
- Sandwich, IL
- Sauk Village, IL
- Savoy, IL
- Schaumburg, IL
- Schiller Park, IL
- Shiloh, IL
- Shorewood, IL
- Silvis, IL
- Skokie, IL
- South Beloit, IL
- South Elgin, IL
- South Holland, IL
- Spring Grove, IL
- Spring Valley, IL
- Springfield, IL
- St. Charles, IL
- Staunton, IL
- Steger, IL
- Sterling, IL
- Stickney, IL
- Streamwood, IL
- Streator, IL
- Sugar Grove, IL
- Summit, IL
- Swansea, IL
- Sycamore, IL
- Taylorville, IL
- Tinley Park, IL
- Troy, IL
- University Park, IL
- Urbana, IL
- Vandalia, IL
- Vernon Hills, IL
- Villa Park, IL
- Warrenville, IL
- Washington, IL
- Waterloo, IL
- Wauconda, IL
- Waukegan, IL
- West Chicago, IL
- West Dundee, IL
- West Frankfort, IL
- Westchester, IL
- Western Springs, IL
- Westmont, IL
- Wheaton, IL
- Wheeling, IL
- Willow Springs, IL
- Willowbrook, IL
- Wilmette, IL
- Wilmington, IL
- Winfield, IL
- Winnetka, IL
- Winthrop Harbor, IL
- Wood Dale, IL
- Wood River, IL
- Woodridge, IL
- Woodstock, IL
- Worth, IL
- Yorkville, IL
- Zion, IL
Experiences & Adventures in Illinois
10 Best Vacation Spots in the US: The 2026 Travelers’ Choice Guide
Looking for your next getaway? Find inspiration in TripAdvisor's list of this year's top travel destinations.
From Sea to Shining Sea: The Ultimate Guide to Celebrating America’s 250
Gear up for July 4, 2026! Discover the ultimate guide to celebrating America's 250th birthday, featuring historic 13 colonies sites, the Civil Rights Trail and new museum openings.
10 UNESCO Sites in the U.S. to Add to Your Travel Bucket List
These UNESCO World Heritage Sites are once-in-a-lifetime spots that should be added to your bucket list immediately.
Food Scenes in Illinois
The Official Food of Each State in the U.S
Eat your way through America the beautiful with our guide to the official food of each state.
Make Your Move to Illinois
10 Reasons Champaign, IL, Is a Great Place To Live
Plenty to see and do, plus unique experiences you won’t find elsewhere in Illinois, make Champaign a stand-out place to live.
Illinois: Where to Live Now
Top 25 Best Places to Live in the Midwest
These 25 Midwestern cities each have something special to offer residents.
Best Places To Live in Illinois
Rich in history, culture and farmland, Illinois is a great place to hang your hat. Read on to explore the best places to live in Illinois!
Discover 9 Communities Near Champaign, IL
Find your perfect home and neighborhood in this central Illinois region.
Education, Careers and Opportunity in Illinois
I Came to Champaign, IL, for College and Stayed for My Career
A transplant shares what he loves about the region and why he decided to make it home.
I Grew My Business in Champaign, IL, and You Should, Too
The cofounder of an ag tech company shares why relocating to the region has been great for business.
Illinois: Love Where You Live
50 Things You Didn’t Know About the Olympics
Can't make it to Milano Cortina for the Winter Games and have some serious FOMO? Us, too! Here are 50 things you might not know about the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games.
The Most Romantic City In Every State
This Valentine's Day hit the open road with your honey and explore the most romantic cities around the country.
Champaign, IL — and Its Sister City Urbana — Make Relocating Easy
Two community-wide relocation programs help newcomers find their way in their new community.
Data used on Livability.com is provided from the most recent release (November 2025) by Applied Geographic Solutions (AGS). Our LivScore is calculated in partnership with AGS. Sales tax sources: Sales Tax Clearinghouse, Tax Foundation, and State Revenue Departments. Local rates are population-weighted to account for municipal variations.