Peoria named one of the best places to live in the country, according to report

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.

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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.

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