| City | Population | Rank | Schools Rank | Graduation Rate Rank | Households With Children Rank | Crime Rank | Cost Of Living Rank | Employment Rank | Commute Time Rank | Daycare/Babysitters Rank | Parks Rank | Big Deal Score |
| Oak Park | 51,878 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 24 | 3 | 44 | 3 | 41 | 3 | 3 | 14.11 |
| Glenview | 44,692 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 29 | 5 | 50 | 1 | 32 | 7 | 4 | 14.89 |
| Naperville | 141,853 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 17 | 29 | 17 | 46 | 11 | 10 | 16 |
| Elmhurst | 44,121 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 16 | 13 | 47 | 4 | 18 | 38 | 1 | 16.11 |
| Plainfield | 39,581 | 5 | 20 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 22 | 29 | 50 | 2 | 17 | 17 |
| Wheaton | 52,894 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 22 | 4 | 44 | 6 | 18 | 46 | 6 | 17.33 |
| Buffalo Grove | 41,496 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 2 | 42 | 6 | 32 | 24 | 29 | 17.89 |
| Downers Grove | 47,833 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 28 | 24 | 42 | 6 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 18.11 |
| Schaumburg | 74,227 | 9 | 3 | 11 | 38 | 39 | 33 | 9 | 18 | 5 | 8 | 18.22 |
| Park Ridge | 37,480 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 23 | 7 | 49 | 14 | 16 | 40 | 14 | 19.22 |
| Mount Prospect | 54,167 | 11 | 11 | 26 | 26 | 12 | 38 | 4 | 26 | 16 | 15 | 19.33 |
| Normal | 52,497 | 11 | 20 | 11 | 45 | 30 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 36 | 11 | 19.33 |
| Bloomington | 76,610 | 13 | 24 | 19 | 31 | 33 | 8 | 14 | 4 | 8 | 35 | 19.56 |
| Arlington Heights | 75,101 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 32 | 11 | 44 | 9 | 18 | 33 | 21 | 19.56 |
| Crystal Lake | 40,743 | 15 | 11 | 17 | 12 | 24 | 19 | 27 | 42 | 6 | 23 | 20.11 |
| Evanston | 74,486 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 43 | 35 | 47 | 9 | 26 | 12 | 5 | 22.11 |
| Hoffman Estates | 51,895 | 17 | 11 | 22 | 17 | 15 | 33 | 9 | 32 | 42 | 19 | 22.22 |
| Palatine | 68,557 | 18 | 11 | 22 | 19 | 9 | 38 | 18 | 18 | 29 | 39 | 22.56 |
| Urbana | 41,250 | 19 | 37 | 19 | 50 | 45 | 14 | 27 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 22.89 |
| Quincy | 40,633 | 20 | 37 | 29 | 40 | 43 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 28 | 23 |
| Bartlett | 41,208 | 21 | 11 | 17 | 11 | 1 | 40 | 21 | 46 | 39 | 24 | 23.33 |
| Belleville | 44,478 | 22 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 38 | 11 | 33 | 13 | 1 | 27 | 23.44 |
| Champaign | 81,055 | 23 | 24 | 14 | 49 | 46 | 17 | 14 | 2 | 18 | 30 | 23.78 |
| Carol Stream | 39,711 | 24 | 11 | 24 | 18 | 8 | 31 | 23 | 26 | 43 | 34 | 24.22 |
| Lombard | 43,165 | 25 | 20 | 19 | 44 | 32 | 33 | 23 | 16 | 20 | 12 | 24.33 |
| Des Plaines | 58,364 | 26 | 24 | 29 | 42 | 19 | 31 | 34 | 18 | 14 | 13 | 24.89 |
| Skokie | 64,784 | 27 | 11 | 26 | 34 | 29 | 40 | 23 | 26 | 30 | 9 | 25.33 |
| Springfield | 116,250 | 28 | 37 | 28 | 46 | 50 | 2 | 19 | 6 | 4 | 40 | 25.78 |
| Wheeling | 37,648 | 29 | 24 | 35 | 27 | 16 | 26 | 21 | 14 | 41 | 31 | 26.11 |
| Tinley Park | 56,703 | 30 | 20 | 14 | 21 | 18 | 17 | 30 | 46 | 45 | 26 | 26.33 |
| Bolingbrook | 73,366 | 31 | 29 | 29 | 6 | 20 | 14 | 36 | 42 | 22 | 43 | 26.78 |
| Hanover Park | 37,973 | 31 | 24 | 43 | 4 | 6 | 25 | 42 | 26 | 35 | 36 | 26.78 |
| Peoria | 115,007 | 33 | 37 | 29 | 36 | 47 | 3 | 40 | 6 | 9 | 37 | 27.11 |
| Aurora | 197,899 | 34 | 29 | 45 | 7 | 23 | 13 | 37 | 26 | 34 | 32 | 27.33 |
| Moline | 43,483 | 35 | 29 | 37 | 37 | 42 | 6 | 20 | 6 | 21 | 49 | 27.44 |
| Rockford | 152,871 | 36 | 45 | 44 | 25 | 49 | 6 | 48 | 11 | 13 | 7 | 27.56 |
| Orland Park | 56,767 | 37 | 11 | 14 | 39 | 28 | 37 | 23 | 42 | 26 | 45 | 29.44 |
| Berwyn | 56,657 | 37 | 45 | 45 | 13 | 31 | 26 | 38 | 32 | 17 | 18 | 29.44 |
| Elgin | 108,188 | 39 | 37 | 45 | 14 | 22 | 24 | 44 | 18 | 31 | 41 | 30.67 |
| Rock Island | 39,018 | 39 | 45 | 39 | 41 | 40 | 5 | 30 | 10 | 28 | 38 | 30.67 |
| Decatur | 76,122 | 41 | 45 | 41 | 47 | 44 | 1 | 48 | 6 | 27 | 25 | 31.56 |
| Oak Lawn | 56,690 | 41 | 29 | 29 | 33 | 26 | 26 | 40 | 32 | 47 | 22 | 31.56 |
| Joliet | 147,433 | 43 | 37 | 39 | 8 | 34 | 10 | 50 | 38 | 25 | 46 | 31.89 |
| Carpentersville | 37,691 | 44 | 37 | 48 | 3 | 14 | 22 | 47 | 38 | 37 | 42 | 32 |
| DeKalb | 43,862 | 45 | 29 | 24 | 48 | 37 | 11 | 32 | 12 | 50 | 48 | 32.33 |
| Waukegan | 89,078 | 46 | 49 | 49 | 9 | 41 | 20 | 46 | 14 | 32 | 33 | 32.56 |
| Streamwood | 39,858 | 46 | 29 | 35 | 15 | 21 | 33 | 35 | 32 | 44 | 49 | 32.56 |
| Chicago | 2,695,598 | 48 | 29 | 42 | 35 | 48 | 30 | 43 | 42 | 15 | 16 | 33.33 |
| Romeoville | 39,680 | 49 | 37 | 37 | 5 | 27 | 14 | 38 | 49 | 48 | 47 | 33.56 |
| Cicero | 83,891 | 50 | 49 | 50 | 1 | 36 | 21 | 45 | 38 | 49 | 44 | 37 |