These Are The 10 Most Affordable Places In Illinois

A wise sage once said “she works hard for the money” and these places in Illinois definitely treat her right.

You see, these are the places in Illinois where the cost of living is the lowest; where your salary goes the furthest. And when if you have the luxury of choosing where to live in the Prairie State, then the cost of living should play a role in the decision.

So we did the hard for you and crunched the numbers to find the cities that have lower food, energy, and housing costs. After the dust settled on our analysis of the 336 largest places in Illinois, we were left with this set of the best value for your money:

1. Sumner
2. Fairfield
3. West Frankfort
4. Carmi
5. Benton
6. Pana
7. Galesburg
8. Vandalia
9. Olney
10. Harrisburg

So listen up Glencoe as we explain how we created this ranking, you could learn some things from the rest of the state.

How We Determined The Most Affordable Places To Live In The Prairie State

There are basic necessities that you have to buy no matter where in the country you live. Those things include:

• Housing
• Food
• Gas
• Health Insurance
• Utilities
• Transportation

You can then compare the cost of these things in each of the places in Illinois to figure out which is the least expensive.

What you are left with is a “Cost of Living Index” that normalizes to 100 for an average place in the United States.

So we used that cost of living index in order to rank all of the 336 places in Illinois that have more than 5,000 people.

And just so you can better understand how the cost of living index works, 100 is the average cost of a place in the United States. A score of 90 means that the place cost 10% less than average. A score of 90 means it’s 10% less expensive.

San Francisco has a score of 243 meaning it’s almost 2.5 times as expensive as the average place in the country.

1. Sumner

Population: 5,073
Services: 92
Groceries: 93
Healthcare: 92
Housing: 28
Transportation: 92
Utiltiies: 114

2. Fairfield

Population: 5,285
Services: 92
Groceries: 93
Healthcare: 92
Housing: 41
Transportation: 92
Utiltiies: 114

3. West Frankfort

Population: 8,394
Services: 92
Groceries: 93
Healthcare: 92
Housing: 41
Transportation: 92
Utiltiies: 114

4. Carmi

Population: 5,351
Services: 92
Groceries: 93
Healthcare: 92
Housing: 41
Transportation: 92
Utiltiies: 114

5. Benton

Population: 7,284
Services: 92
Groceries: 93
Healthcare: 92
Housing: 42
Transportation: 92
Utiltiies: 114

6. Pana

Population: 5,850
Services: 94
Groceries: 96
Healthcare: 92
Housing: 45
Transportation: 96
Utiltiies: 100

7. Galesburg

Population: 32,038
Services: 90
Groceries: 95
Healthcare: 94
Housing: 49
Transportation: 91
Utiltiies: 102

8. Vandalia

Population: 6,096
Services: 94
Groceries: 96
Healthcare: 92
Housing: 47
Transportation: 96
Utiltiies: 100

9. Olney

Population: 9,032
Services: 92
Groceries: 93
Healthcare: 92
Housing: 46
Transportation: 92
Utiltiies: 114

10. Harrisburg

Population: 8,962
Services: 92
Groceries: 93
Healthcare: 92
Housing: 46
Transportation: 92
Utiltiies: 114

Detailed List Of Affordable Places In Illinois

City	Rank	Population	Services	Grociers	Healthcare
Sumner	1	5,073	92	93	92
Fairfield	2	5,285	92	93	92
West Frankfort	3	8,394	92	93	92
Carmi	4	5,351	92	93	92
Benton	5	7,284	92	93	92
Pana	6	5,850	94	96	92
Galesburg	7	32,038	90	95	94
Vandalia	8	6,096	94	96	92
Olney	9	9,032	92	93	92
Harrisburg	10	8,962	92	93	92
Monmouth	11	9,659	90	95	94
Mount Carmel	12	7,276	92	93	92
Flora	13	5,018	92	93	92
Metropolis	14	6,537	92	93	92
Mattoon	15	18,162	94	96	92
Herrin	16	12,524	92	93	92
Shelbyville	17	5,267	94	96	92
Decatur	18	76,091	94	96	92
Clinton	19	7,007	94	96	92
Hoopeston	20	5,601	100	102	93
Quincy	21	40,647	90	95	94
Du Quoin	22	6,089	97	101	101
Danville	23	32,977	100	102	93
Freeport	24	25,529	96	96	103
Kewanee	25	12,903	99	100	92
Macomb	26	19,260	90	95	94
Rock Falls	27	9,075	96	96	103
Paris	28	8,896	107	96	109
Sterling	29	15,367	96	96	103
Centralia	30	13,019	97	101	101
Creve Coeur	31	5,460	98	98	96
Effingham	32	12,297	94	96	92
Robinson	33	7,656	107	96	109
Dixon	34	15,332	96	96	103
Marion	35	17,198	92	93	92
Beardstown	36	6,193	103	101	106
Centreville	37	5,306	97	101	101
Canton	38	14,699	98	98	96
Pinckneyville	39	5,631	97	101	101
Peoria Heights	40	6,216	98	98	96
Salem	41	7,407	97	101	101
Rantoul	42	12,880	96	92	109
Murphysboro	43	8,166	97	101	101
Litchfield	44	7,086	103	101	106
Mount Vernon	45	15,051	97	101	101
Carlinville	46	5,799	103	101	106
Lasalle	47	9,574	98	98	96
Chester	48	8,523	97	101	101
Lincoln	49	14,259	103	101	106
Carterville	50	5,485	92	93	92
Watseka	51	5,630	96	90	104
Taylorville	52	11,768	103	101	106
East Alton	53	6,309	97	101	101
Hillsboro	54	7,363	103	101	106
Pekin	55	33,700	98	98	96
Spring Valley	56	5,530	98	98	96
Park City	57	7,383	106	108	100
Jacksonville	58	19,401	103	101	106
Chillicothe	59	6,139	98	98	96
Granite City	60	29,916	97	101	101
Cahokia	61	15,169	97	101	101
Milan	62	5,089	99	100	92
Rockford	63	152,948	96	96	103
Mendota	64	7,138	96	96	103
Streator	65	13,068	96	106	104
Bartonville	66	6,448	98	98	96
Alton	67	27,868	97	101	101
Colona	68	5,013	99	100	92
Pontiac	69	12,210	96	90	104
Charleston	70	21,952	107	96	109
Rock Island	71	38,808	99	100	92
Wood River	72	10,643	97	101	101
Princeton	73	7,831	98	98	96
Greenville	74	6,941	97	101	101
Mount Zion	75	5,703	94	96	92
Peru	76	10,189	98	98	96
East Moline	77	21,585	99	100	92
Belvidere	78	25,544	96	96	103
Kankakee	79	27,560	96	90	104
Pontoon Beach	80	5,790	97	101	101
Moline	81	43,390	99	100	92
East Peoria	82	23,321	98	98	96
Jerseyville	83	8,833	97	101	101
Peoria	84	114,754	98	98	96
Rochelle	85	9,578	96	96	103
Loves Park	86	23,968	96	96	103
Silvis	87	7,474	99	100	92
Machesney Park	88	23,231	96	96	103
Springfield	89	115,982	103	101	106
Carbondale	90	25,961	97	101	101
Eureka	91	5,421	98	98	96
Belleville	92	44,118	97	101	101
Marseilles	93	5,022	96	106	104
Robbins	94	5,132	106	108	100
Collinsville	95	25,370	97	101	101
Harvard	96	9,172	96	96	103
Geneseo	97	6,604	99	100	92
Park Forest	98	22,424	96	106	104
Monticello	99	5,297	96	92	109
Bethalto	100	9,506	97	101	101
Urbana	101	41,299	96	92	109
Bloomington	102	76,527	98	98	96
South Beloit	103	7,917	97	97	109
Normal	104	52,986	98	98	96
Rockton	105	7,370	96	96	103
Champaign	106	81,083	96	92	109
Godfrey	107	17,941	97	101	101
Washington	108	15,052	98	98	96
Ottawa	109	19,258	96	106	104
Bradley	110	15,777	96	90	104
Mascoutah	111	7,578	97	101	101
Steger	112	9,629	96	106	104
Genoa	113	5,693	96	96	103
Dekalb	114	44,340	96	96	103
Harvey	115	24,959	106	108	100
Riverdale	116	13,552	106	108	100
Fairview Heights	117	16,838	97	101	101
Highland	118	9,434	97	101	101
Chicago Heights	119	30,328	96	106	104
Sauk Village	120	10,473	96	106	104
Morton	121	16,255	98	98	96
Swansea	122	13,495	97	101	101
Sycamore	123	17,505	96	96	103
University Park	124	7,034	96	106	104
Roscoe	125	10,679	96	96	103
Troy	126	9,959	97	101	101
Marengo	127	7,675	96	96	103
Poplar Grove	128	5,879	96	96	103
Chatham	129	11,807	103	101	106
Calumet City	130	37,070	106	108	100
Wilmington	131	5,918	96	106	104
Wilmington	132	5,918	96	106	104
Mahomet	133	7,230	96	92	109
Woodstock	134	24,781	96	96	103
Braidwood	135	6,047	96	106	104
Calumet Park	136	7,913	106	108	100
Waterloo	137	9,826	97	101	101
Dolton	138	23,230	106	108	100
Bourbonnais	139	18,582	96	90	104
Lansing	140	28,270	106	108	100
Blue Island	141	23,457	106	108	100
North Chicago	142	31,677	106	108	100
Waukegan	143	88,982	106	108	100
Sandwich	144	7,563	96	106	104
Mchenry	145	26,862	96	96	103
Markham	146	12,514	106	108	100
Monee	147	5,099	96	106	104
Lynwood	148	9,042	106	108	100
Columbia	149	9,687	97	101	101
Coal City	150	5,346	96	106	104
Plano	151	10,602	96	106	104
Richton Park	152	13,568	96	106	104
Savoy	153	6,989	96	92	109
Zion	154	24,400	106	108	100
Posen	155	5,975	106	108	100
Manteno	156	9,253	96	90	104
Joliet	157	147,098	96	106	104
Crest Hill	158	20,724	96	106	104
Edwardsville	159	24,093	97	101	101
Maryville	160	7,480	97	101	101
Glenwood	161	9,033	106	108	100
Glen Carbon	162	13,129	97	101	101
Maywood	163	24,177	106	108	100
Cicero	164	83,756	106	108	100
Round Lake Beach	165	28,133	106	108	100
Hazel Crest	166	14,341	96	106	104
Crestwood	167	10,951	106	108	100
Broadview	168	7,938	106	108	100
Shiloh	169	12,726	97	101	101
Morris	170	13,896	96	106	104
Midlothian	171	14,788	106	108	100
Bellwood	172	19,105	106	108	100
Homewood	173	19,526	96	106	104
O’Fallon	174	28,377	97	101	101
Chicago Ridge	175	14,303	106	108	100
Stickney	176	6,731	106	108	100
Round Lake Park	177	7,382	106	108	100
Crystal Lake	178	40,867	96	96	103
Carpentersville	179	37,758	106	108	100
Fox Lake	180	10,768	106	108	100
Aurora	181	196,569	96	106	104
Beach Park	182	13,482	106	108	100
Hampshire	183	6,174	96	96	103
Country Club Hills	184	16,540	96	106	104
Summit	185	11,166	106	108	100
Matteson	186	18,692	96	106	104
Northlake	187	12,287	106	108	100
Lake In The Hills	188	28,894	96	96	103
Bridgeview	189	16,394	106	108	100
Oak Forest	190	27,922	96	106	104
Alsip	191	19,264	106	108	100
Lockport	192	24,672	96	106	104
Worth	193	10,787	106	108	100
Berkeley	194	5,189	106	108	100
Crete	195	8,336	96	106	104
Elgin	196	109,513	106	108	100
Montgomery	197	18,123	96	106	104
Winthrop Harbor	198	6,752	97	103	115
Romeoville	199	39,175	96	106	104
Hillside	200	8,136	106	108	100
Franklin Park	201	18,333	106	108	100
River Grove	202	10,224	106	108	100
Lyons	203	10,651	106	108	100
Justice	204	12,877	106	108	100
Antioch	205	14,185	97	103	115
Hanover Park	206	37,990	106	108	100
Bolingbrook	207	73,383	96	106	104
Manhattan	208	6,456	96	106	104
Melrose Park	209	25,241	106	108	100
Glendale Heights	210	34,159	106	108	100
Channahon	211	12,377	96	106	104
Oak Lawn	212	56,524	106	108	100
Berwyn	213	56,376	106	108	100
South Elgin	214	21,873	96	106	104
Evergreen Park	215	19,852	106	108	100
Round Lake	216	17,773	106	108	100
Lakemoor	217	6,415	106	108	100
West Chicago	218	27,079	96	106	104
Wheeling	219	37,575	106	108	100
Burbank	220	28,851	106	108	100
Island Lake	221	8,114	106	108	100
Huntley	222	23,897	96	96	103
Palos Hills	223	17,458	106	108	100
Elburn	224	5,595	96	106	104
South Holland	225	21,994	106	108	100
Countryside	226	5,905	106	108	100
Schiller Park	227	11,782	106	108	100
Tinley Park	228	56,340	96	106	104
Wauconda	229	12,960	106	108	100
Minooka	230	10,548	96	106	104
Forest Park	231	14,194	106	108	100
Orland Hills	232	7,118	96	106	104
Warrenville	233	13,346	96	106	104
North Aurora	234	16,231	96	106	104
Yorkville	235	17,055	96	106	104
Hickory Hills	236	14,355	106	108	100
Elmwood Park	237	24,876	106	108	100
Grayslake	238	20,943	106	108	100
Gilberts	239	6,786	96	96	103
North Riverside	240	6,920	106	108	100
Bensenville	241	18,480	106	108	100
Johnsburg	242	6,325	96	96	103
Woodridge	243	32,926	96	106	104
Chicago	244	2,702,471	106	108	100
Mundelein	245	31,506	106	108	100
Brookfield	246	18,812	106	108	100
Carol Stream	247	39,869	106	108	100
Lake Villa	248	8,827	106	108	100
Villa Park	249	22,212	106	108	100
Streamwood	250	40,201	106	108	100
Cary	251	18,202	106	108	100
Addison	252	36,977	106	108	100
Flossmoor	253	9,387	96	106	104
Des Plaines	254	58,302	106	108	100
Shorewood	255	15,611	96	106	104
Rolling Meadows	256	23,645	106	108	100
Batavia	257	25,693	96	106	104
Lindenhurst	258	14,415	106	108	100
New Lenox	259	24,369	96	106	104
Lombard	260	43,180	106	108	100
Orland Park	261	56,607	96	106	104
Wood Dale	262	13,778	106	108	100
Schaumburg	263	74,276	106	108	100
Oswego	264	30,302	96	106	104
Elk Grove Village	265	33,166	106	108	100
Roselle	266	22,814	106	108	100
Norridge	267	14,656	106	108	100
Sugar Grove	268	8,831	96	106	104
Harwood Heights	269	8,573	106	108	100
Hoffman Estates	270	52,066	106	108	100
Gurnee	271	31,222	106	108	100
Prospect Heights	272	16,228	106	108	100
Westmont	273	25,101	106	108	100
Mokena	274	18,424	96	106	104
Darien	275	22,163	96	106	104
West Dundee	276	7,307	106	108	100
Niles	277	29,720	106	108	100
Palatine	278	68,338	106	108	100
Winfield	279	9,168	96	106	104
Bloomingdale	280	22,028	106	108	100
Lisle	281	22,453	96	106	104
Westchester	282	16,684	106	108	100
Plainfield	283	39,030	96	106	104
Geneva	284	21,588	96	106	104
Algonquin	285	29,924	106	108	100
Mount Prospect	286	54,144	106	108	100
Lemont	287	15,954	96	106	104
Downers Grove	288	48,621	96	106	104
Bartlett	289	41,017	106	108	100
Willow Springs	290	5,455	106	108	100
Itasca	291	8,494	106	108	100
Skokie	292	64,588	106	108	100
Wheaton	293	53,155	96	106	104
Buffalo Grove	294	41,667	106	108	100
La Grange Park	295	13,552	106	108	100
Vernon Hills	296	25,144	106	108	100
Lake Zurich	297	19,679	106	108	100
Palos Heights	298	12,446	106	108	100
Spring Grove	299	5,452	97	97	109
Arlington Heights	300	75,221	106	108	100
Frankfort	301	17,787	96	106	104
Morton Grove	302	23,194	106	108	100
Naperville	303	142,143	96	106	104
Homer Glen	304	24,428	96	106	104
Oak Park	305	51,781	106	108	100
Riverside	306	8,859	106	108	100
Highwood	307	5,396	106	108	100
Campton Hills	308	10,985	96	106	104
Evanston	309	74,619	106	108	100
Elmhurst	310	44,385	106	108	100
Glen Ellyn	311	27,503	106	108	100
Libertyville	312	20,388	106	108	100
Park Ridge	313	37,266	106	108	100
Lincolnwood	314	12,538	106	108	100
La Grange	315	15,563	106	108	100
Barrington	316	10,739	106	108	100
Glenview	317	44,478	106	108	100
Highland Park	318	29,909	106	108	100
Clarendon Hills	319	8,434	106	108	100
Hawthorn Woods	320	7,451	106	108	100
Deerfield	321	18,452	106	108	100
River Forest	322	11,174	106	108	100
Northbrook	323	33,095	106	108	100
Western Springs	324	12,853	106	108	100
Lincolnshire	325	7,228	106	108	100
Wilmette	326	27,202	106	108	100
Lake Bluff	327	6,214	106	108	100
Northfield	328	5,234	106	108	100
Burr Ridge	329	10,590	106	108	100
Inverness	330	7,457	106	108	100
Long Grove	331	8,031	106	108	100
Hinsdale	332	16,594	106	108	100
Oak Brook	333	7,905	106	108	100
Lake Forest	334	19,068	106	108	100
Winnetka	335	12,210	106	108	100
Glencoe	336	8,728	106	108	100