Peoria has been named the No. 1 place to live in the state of Illinois for 2024-2025 by U.S. News and World Report.
Peoria is the only city in Illinois to make the top 100 places to live, coming in at number 82. Rockford ranked 105th and Chicago ranked 119th.
Ranking among the top 100 places to live has become something of an annual exercise for Peoria, much to the chagrin of some Peorians on social media.
‘Take off like a rocket’: Why Peoria leaders are optimistic about the future amid public negativity
But nonetheless, Peorias’ lower-than-average housing and rental costs and quality of life scores earned high marks from U.S. News and World Report, earning them a spot in the top 100. The median home value in Peoria was $136,078, far less than the national average of $281,900. .
Short commute times for Peorians compared to other similar metro areas also earned Peoria high marks on its report card. Peoria’s commute times are 10 minutes less than the national average.
One blemish on Peoria’s report card was its violent crime statistics, which ranked higher than average on the list. Another thing for Peoria was its public school system, which scored a 4.7 out of 10 in the college readiness category for students, according to the list.
Opinion: Peoria is the best place for my family to live. This is why
This article originally appeared in Journal Star: Peoria is the best place to live in Illinois, according to new rankings
