Best Counties for Families in Illinois 2026

102 counties ranked with the Family lens of the County Fit Score.

Top 5 Family Counties in Illinois

1Brown County

All 102 Family-Ranked Counties in Illinois

Rank	County	County Fit Score	baseline CountyScore	Delta
1	Brown County, IL	77.8	69.5	+8.3
2	Hardin County, IL	77.1	70.7	+6.4
3	Johnson County, IL	76.6	67.7	+8.9
4	Scott County, IL	75.5	68.1	+7.4
5	Hamilton County, IL	75	68.6	+6.4
6	Gallatin County, IL	72.8	67.6	+5.2
7	Edwards County, IL	72.7	66.7	+6
8	Mercer County, IL	72	63.1	+8.9
9	Washington County, IL	71.8	63.7	+8.1
10	Woodford County, IL	71.2	58.8	+12.4
11	Jo Daviess County, IL	70.7	60.8	+9.9
12	Carroll County, IL	69.4	60.6	+8.8
13	Pope County, IL	68.8	67.4	+1.4
14	Stark County, IL	68.8	61.1	+7.7
15	Calhoun County, IL	68.4	63	+5.4
16	Greene County, IL	68.2	60.3	+7.9
17	Cumberland County, IL	68	62	+6
18	Douglas County, IL	67.8	55.6	+12.2
19	Monroe County, IL	67.8	58.5	+9.3
20	Shelby County, IL	67.6	60.9	+6.7
21	White County, IL	67.4	62.5	+4.9
22	Putnam County, IL	67.3	59.3	+8
23	DuPage County, IL	67	54	+13
24	Schuyler County, IL	66.9	58.3	+8.6
25	Perry County, IL	66.7	59.8	+6.9
26	Moultrie County, IL	66.2	58.4	+7.8
27	Jasper County, IL	65.9	59.7	+6.2
28	Menard County, IL	65.9	59.2	+6.7
29	Alexander County, IL	65.5	62.2	+3.3
30	Edgar County, IL	65.5	59.8	+5.7
31	Henderson County, IL	64.8	61.7	+3.1
32	McHenry County, IL	64.8	52.3	+12.5
33	Randolph County, IL	64.6	58.7	+5.9
34	Coles County, IL	64.4	57.4	+7
35	Piatt County, IL	64	54.9	+9.1
36	Pulaski County, IL	63.5	62.9	+0.6
37	Bond County, IL	63.3	55.2	+8.1
38	Hancock County, IL	62.8	58.6	+4.2
39	Livingston County, IL	62.7	51.6	+11.1
40	Clark County, IL	62.5	55.5	+7
41	Cass County, IL	62.2	57.4	+4.8
42	McDonough County, IL	62.2	56.3	+5.9
43	Union County, IL	61.8	57.4	+4.4
44	Will County, IL	61.7	50.3	+11.4
45	Marshall County, IL	61.5	54.9	+6.6
46	Christian County, IL	61.2	55.3	+5.9
47	Knox County, IL	60.7	56.1	+4.6
48	Ford County, IL	60.5	53.8	+6.7
49	Saline County, IL	60.4	56.8	+3.6
50	Fulton County, IL	60.3	53.9	+6.4
51	Adams County, IL	59.8	54.7	+5.1
52	Clinton County, IL	59.8	52	+7.8
53	Macoupin County, IL	59.2	52.5	+6.7
54	Franklin County, IL	58.8	55.9	+2.9
55	Kankakee County, IL	58.7	48	+10.7
56	Lake County, IL	58.7	47.2	+11.5
57	Warren County, IL	58.6	52.4	+6.2
58	Iroquois County, IL	58.5	50.3	+8.2
59	Lee County, IL	58.4	51.7	+6.7
60	McLean County, IL	58.3	48.1	+10.2
61	Pike County, IL	57.9	55.6	+2.3
62	Jersey County, IL	57.8	53.4	+4.4
63	Mason County, IL	57.8	52.8	+5
64	Henry County, IL	57.2	50.3	+6.9
65	Kane County, IL	56.9	47.1	+9.8
66	Logan County, IL	56.4	51.6	+4.8
67	Fayette County, IL	56.2	53.8	+2.4
68	Jefferson County, IL	56	51.7	+4.3
69	Crawford County, IL	55.6	52.5	+3.1
70	Wabash County, IL	55.4	55.3	+0.1
71	Richland County, IL	55	51.4	+3.6
72	Lawrence County, IL	54.8	55.7	-0.9
73	Grundy County, IL	54.6	44.8	+9.8
74	Williamson County, IL	54.3	49.9	+4.4
75	De Witt County, IL	54	47.8	+6.2
76	Effingham County, IL	53.9	49.7	+4.2
77	Wayne County, IL	53.9	52.5	+1.4
78	Clay County, IL	53.7	55.8	-2.1
79	Boone County, IL	52.6	43.7	+8.9
80	Bureau County, IL	52.1	45.7	+6.4
81	Whiteside County, IL	51.2	46.3	+4.9
82	LaSalle County, IL	50.1	40.6	+9.5
83	Montgomery County, IL	49.1	45.9	+3.2
84	Tazewell County, IL	48.5	42.5	+6
85	Winnebago County, IL	48.3	42.4	+5.9
86	Kendall County, IL	48.1	38.6	+9.5
87	St. Clair County, IL	48.1	41.3	+6.8
88	Marion County, IL	47.8	46.7	+1.1
89	Stephenson County, IL	47.8	45.6	+2.2
90	Ogle County, IL	46.6	38.7	+7.9
91	Massac County, IL	45.9	43.2	+2.7
92	Morgan County, IL	45.7	43.1	+2.6
93	DeKalb County, IL	43.3	37	+6.3
94	Madison County, IL	41.8	38.1	+3.7
95	Rock Island County, IL	41.4	36.7	+4.7
96	Jackson County, IL	38.2	36	+2.2
97	Champaign County, IL	37.8	34.4	+3.4
98	Sangamon County, IL	36.8	33.4	+3.4
99	Cook County, IL	36.6	30.3	+6.3
100	Vermilion County, IL	35.2	35.5	-0.3
101	Macon County, IL	34.9	34.6	+0.3
102	Peoria County, IL	33.1	31	+2.1

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best county for families in Illinois?

Based on the Family lens, Brown County ranks as the top family county in Illinois with a County Fit Score of 77.8. The baseline CountyScore remains visible for context.

How many counties in Illinois are ranked for families?

We rank 102 counties in Illinois with the Family lens, using independent importance values for schools, safety, affordability, health, income, taxes, and disaster risk.

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Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019-2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.