These Are The 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Illinois For 2018

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 332 largest places in Illinois, we were left with this set of the best value for your money.

Here are the 10 cheapest places to live in Illinois for 2018:

1. Galesburg (Photos | Homes For Sale)
2. Monmouth (Photos | Homes For Sale)
3. Quincy (Photos | Homes For Sale)
4. Macomb (Photos | Homes For Sale)
5. Pana (Photos | Homes For Sale)
6. Vandalia (Photos | Homes For Sale)
7. Mattoon (Photos | Homes For Sale)
8. Shelbyville (Photos | Homes For Sale)
9. Decatur (Photos | Homes For Sale)
10. Clinton (Photos | Homes For Sale)

So listen up Glencoe (the most expensive place in Illinois) as we explain how we created this ranking. You could learn some things from the rest of the state.

And if you already knew these places were cheap, check out the best places to live in Illinois or the most expensive.

How We Determined The Cheapest Places To Live In The Prairie State For 2018

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 332 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. Galesburg

Population: 32,038
Services: 90
Groceries: 95
Health Care: 94
Housing: 49
Transportation: 91
Utilities: 102
More on Galesburg: Homes For Sale | Data
Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, United States. This city is forty-five miles northwest of Peoria. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County. Galesburg is home to Knox College, a private four-year liberal arts college, and Carl Sandburg College, a two-year community college.

2. Monmouth

Population: 9,659
Services: 90
Groceries: 95
Health Care: 94
Housing: 50
Transportation: 91
Utilities: 102
More on Monmouth: Homes For Sale | Data
Monmouth is a city in and the county seat of Warren County, Illinois, United States. The population was 9,444 at the 2010 census, down from 9,841 in 2000. It is the home of Monmouth College and contains Monmouth Park, Harmon Park, North Park, Warfield Park, West Park, South Park, Garwood Park, Buster White Park and the Citizens Lake & Campground. It is the host of the Prime Beef festival, held annually the week after Labor Day. The festival is kicked off with one of the largest parades in Western Illinois. Monmouth is also known regionally as the “Maple City”. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.

3. Quincy

Population: 40,647
Services: 90
Groceries: 95
Health Care: 94
Housing: 58
Transportation: 91
Utilities: 102
More on Quincy: Homes For Sale | Data
Quincy, known as Illinois’s “Gem City,” is a city in and the county seat of Adams County, Illinois, United States, located on the Mississippi River. The 2010 census counted a population of 40,633 in the city itself, up from 40,366 in 2000. As of July 1, 2015, the Quincy Micro Area had an estimated population of 77,220.

4. Macomb

Population: 19,260
Services: 90
Groceries: 95
Health Care: 94
Housing: 60
Transportation: 91
Utilities: 102
More on Macomb: Homes For Sale | Data
Macomb is a city in and the county seat of McDonough County, Illinois, United States. It is situated in western Illinois, southwest of Galesburg. The city is about 75 miles southwest of Peoria and 77 miles south of the Quad Cities. A special census held in 2014 placed the city’s population at 21,516. Macomb is the home of Western Illinois University.

5. Pana

Population: 5,850
Services: 94
Groceries: 96
Health Care: 92
Housing: 45
Transportation: 96
Utilities: 100
More on Pana: Homes For Sale | Data
Pana is a city in Christian County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,614 at the 2000 census.

6. Vandalia

Population: 6,096
Services: 94
Groceries: 96
Health Care: 92
Housing: 47
Transportation: 96
Utilities: 100
More on Vandalia: Homes For Sale | Data
Vandalia is a town in Fayette County, Illinois, United States, 69 miles northeast of St. Louis, on the Kaskaskia River. It served as the state capital of Illinois from 1819 until 1839, when the seat of state government moved to Springfield. Vandalia was for years the western terminus of the National Road.

7. Mattoon

Population: 18,162
Services: 94
Groceries: 96
Health Care: 92
Housing: 50
Transportation: 96
Utilities: 100
More on Mattoon: Homes For Sale | Data
Mattoon is a city in Coles County, Illinois, United States. The population was 18,555 as of the 2010 census.

8. Shelbyville

Population: 5,267
Services: 94
Groceries: 96
Health Care: 92
Housing: 51
Transportation: 96
Utilities: 100
More on Shelbyville: Homes For Sale | Data
Shelbyville is a city in Shelby County, Illinois, along the Kaskaskia River. As of the 2010 census, the population was at 4,700. It is the county seat of Shelby County. Shelby Memorial Hospital, located in town, is the county’s only hospital. Shelbyville’s sister city is Okuwa Village, Japan.

9. Decatur

Population: 76,091
Services: 94
Groceries: 96
Health Care: 92
Housing: 53
Transportation: 96
Utilities: 100
More on Decatur: Homes For Sale | Data
Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city was founded in 1829 and is along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2016, the city’s estimated population was 72,706.

10. Clinton

Population: 7,007
Services: 94
Groceries: 96
Health Care: 92
Housing: 54
Transportation: 96
Utilities: 100
More on Clinton: Homes For Sale | Data
Clinton is the largest city in DeWitt County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,225 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of DeWitt County.

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There You Have It Mr. Or Mrs. Cheapskate

If you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in Illinois, this is an accurate list of the cheapest places to call home.

Detailed List Of The Cheapest Places In Illinois

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