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 Illinois city to be ranked in the top 100 places to live, coming in at No. 82. Rockford was ranked 105th and Chicago came in at No. 119.

Being ranked in the top 100 places to live has become somewhat 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 sanguine about future amid public negativity

But nonetheless, Peoria’s lower than average housing and rent costs and quality of life scores earned high marks with U.S. News and World Report, earning a spot in the top 100. Median home values in Peoria were $136,078, far less than the national average of $281,900.

Short commuting 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 the list scored as higher than average. Another ding for Peoria was its public school system, which the list scored as a 4.7 out of 10 in the category of “college readiness” for students.

Opinion: Peoria is the best place for my family to live. Here’s why

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (FOX 2) – Eduardo G. Torres, 26, of Waukegan, Illinois, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janet T. Neff to 210 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for sexually exploiting a child.

According to court documents, in April 2023, Torres sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl and filmed it after meeting her online, communicating with her through Snapchat, and then traveling to meet her in person.  

To do so, he drove from Illinois to Berrien Springs. After assaulting the girl, he transported her back across state lines to his residence in Illinois.  

“The Berrien Springs Oronoko Township Police Department appreciates the work done on this case by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan along with the assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” said Police Chief Paul Toliver. “Working together with these agencies was instrumental in quickly bringing a child predator to justice and returning a child home to her family.”

Torres previously pled guilty to sexual exploitation of a child on Dec. 18, 2023, for the child pornography he created when he filmed the sexual assault.  

“As the sexual exploitation of children online continues to rise, my office is committed to protecting children and bringing sex offenders to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “The devices that nearly every child and teenager now carry leave kids vulnerable to criminals down the street, across state lines, and around the world. I strongly urge parents, guardians, and loved ones to educate their kids about online dangers, stay aware of their social media activities, and create a trusting relationship where kids are willing to share if something goes wrong.”