10 Best Places to Retire in Illinois

With 10 best places to retire in Illinois, we resume our search for the best retirement places in the United States. Who knows, maybe one place from this list will be your next destination.

One thing that everyone thinks about Illinois is that this state represents something of a smaller version of the United States. Why? Well, the state is filled with small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois. On the south, the state is rich with natural resources, primarily coal, timber, and petroleum. And then, of course, there is Chicago, state’s most populous city and third most populous city in the United States.

Being so diverse, Illinois has something for everyone. No matter what your sphere of interest is, your planned retirement activity, Illinois probably has just the place for you. When it comes to climate, Illinois has hot, humid summers and cold winters that can get pretty sharp from time to time.

One interesting fact about Illinois is that the current US President, Barack Obama, spent most of his life here and was elected as President from this state. Before him, Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant did the same. This is why Illinois’ current slogan is “Land of Lincoln”. And if you are more interested in places that normal people can live like royalty instead of places where many presidents were born and raised, check out our list of the cheapest countries to live like a king.

To find the best places to retire in Illinois, first we searched for the most livable places in Illinois, and we found 20 cities that have a population greater than 5,000, according to Area Vibes. Then, we decided to rank all those cities separately according to four different criteria – the number of physicians per capita, percentage of residents aged 65 years and over, crime rates, and the costs of living. Data was obtained from Sperling’s Best Places and U.S. Census, and each city got the points for the ranking in each category. In the end, all scores were summed up, and we have created our unique list of most retiree-friendly places in Illinois. Let’s check them out, shall we?

10. Flossmoor

Retirement Score: 35

Cost of Living: 10% more expensive than U.S. average

Physicians per Capita: 369

Crime Rates: 31,5

Residents Aged 65 and Over: 15,7%

With interesting architecture, Flossmoor village is also a site for numerous country clubs. It markets itself as “multicultural and multiracial community known for its public art”.

9. Wilmette

Retirement Score: 36

Cost of Living: 75% more expensive than U.S. average

Physicians per Capita: 369

Crime Rates: 24

Residents Aged 65 and Over: 16,8%

The village of Wilmette is not only good for retirees, but it is an overall good place to reside in. Strong community, low unemployment rate, high median income, low crime rate are all the things Wilmette brings to the table.

8. Western Springs

Retirement Score: 41

Cost of Living: 59% more expensive than U.S. average

Physicians per Capita: 369           

Crime Rates: 16,3

Residents Aged 65 and Over: 14,1%

Western Springs has a title of being among the top places for raising children in the entire United States. Of course, it has also lots of appeal for retirees, given the village’s multiple recreational centers and newly built medical care center.

7. Deerfield

Retirement Score: 41

Cost of Living: 54% more expensive than U.S. average

Physicians per Capita: 320

Crime Rates: 19

Residents Aged 65 and Over: 16,4

There is a word out there that this village is ideal for shopping, having its own shopping district. You can’t say that Deerfield is the best retiring place, but the village ranks moderately in all our rankings.

6. Highland Park

Retirement Score: 43

Cost of Living: 57% more expensive than U.S. average

Physicians per Capita: 320

Crime Rates: 23,1

Residents Aged 65 and Over: 19,3%

Thanks to its proximity to Chicago, Highland Park could be ideal for those who would like to be near to the big city. This is also a perfect place for sports fans, since many sport teams have training camps nearby.

5. Clarendon Hills

Retirement Score: 43

Cost of Living: 43% more expensive than U.S. average

Physicians per Capita: 447

Crime Rates: 15

Residents Aged 65 and Over: 11,5%

It looks like villages dominate our list of best places to retire in Illinois, and Clarendon Hills can proudly say it is the safest place among them.

4. Burr Ridge

Retirement Score: 44

Cost of Living: 83% more expensive than U.S. average

Physicians per Capita: 447

Crime Rates: 19,5

Residents Aged 65 and Over: 20%

We have to warn you, Burr Ridge isn’t for everyone’s pocket. It is among the wealthiest places in Illinois and is known for its large beautiful residences.

3. Northbrook

Retirement Score: 44

Cost of Living: 62% more expensive than U.S. average

Physicians per Capita: 369

Crime Rates: 21,9

Residents Aged 65 and Over: 22,4%

Northbrook is the place with the biggest percentage of residents aged 65 and over on our list, and it is growing retirement community. The village is also known for having a large number of recreational facilities.

2. Barrington

Retirement Score: 47

Cost of Living: 45% more expensive than U.S. average

Physicians per Capita: 369

Crime Rates: 19

Residents Aged 65 and Over: 16,4%

The motto of this village “a great place to live, work, and play” surely sounds tempting. Barrington is a perfect place for nature lovers since the village is surrounded by wetlands, forest preserves, parks, and horse trails.

1. Morton

Retirement Score: 51

Cost of Living: 1% more expensive than U.S. average

Physicians per Capita: 123

Crime Rates: 21,7

Residents Aged 65 and Over: 19

It would be only fitting that we end our list of 10 best places to retire in Illinois with another village. Morton is among the cheapest places to retire in Illinois and it’s offering great living conditions. The village received numerous recognition for its quality of life in recent years, being also among the top 10 family places in the United States.