These 2 Illinois spots cracked the top 10 ‘best affordable places to live’ in the US

Two Illinois spots made it into the top 10 of U.S. News & World Report’s “The 25 Best Affordable Places to Live in the U.S. in 2023-2024.”

The Quad Cities metro area that includes Moline-Rock Island, Ill., and Davenport-Bettendorf, Iowa, took ninth place and Peoria took seventh.

U.S. News & World Report analyzed 150 metro areas in the U.S. by quality of life, job market, value of living there and overall desire to live in each area. Here’s what to know about the ranking and the Illinois areas that made the cut.

Moline-Rock Island, Ill., and Davenport-Bettendorf, Iowa

The Davenport-Bettendorf and Moline-Rock Island area, referred to as the Quad Cities, also came in at No. 54 on U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2023-2024” and No. 87 on its “Best Places to Retire in the U.S. in 2023-2024.”

The Quad Cities have a population of more than 384,000, with a average annual salary of $51,240. The median home price in the area is $135,112, while the median rent sits at $808, according to U.S. News & World Report.

The area includes the Illinois cities Rock Island, Moline and East Moline.

If you want to take a visit to the Quad Cities, there are several entertainment options. You could take a boat ride on the Riverboat Twilight to tour the Mississippi River. If you’re into reality TV, the Quad Cities are also home to the original antique store from the History Channel show American Pickers.

You can also catch a Quad Cities River Bandits baseball game. There are several museums in Rock Island and Moline, as well, including the Karpeles Manuscript Museum, the John Hauberg Indian Museum and Augustana College’s Fryxell Geology Museum.

Peoria, Illinois

Peoria took seventh place among 25 in the best affordable places to live, but also ranked 70th on the “Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2023-2024” list and 79th on the roundup of “Best Places to Retire in the U.S. in 2023-2024.”

With a population exceeding 404,000, the average annual salary in the area is $54,370, according to U.S. News & World report. The median home price there is $116,650, while the mid-point rent sits at $815.

If you want to take a visit to Peoria, family friendly attractions include the Peoria Zoo, the Peoria PlayHouse Children’s Museum and the Wheels O’ Time Museum. Offerings geared toward adults include Generations Candle Co., where you can make reservations to pour your own candle. You can also take a ride on the 14-passenger pedal bus.

‘THE 25 BEST AFFORDABLE PLACES TO LIVE IN THE U.S. IN 2023-2024’

Here are the top 10 best affordable places to live in the country, according to the U.S. News & World Report:

1. Hickory, N.C.
2. Youngstown, Ohio
3. Huntington, W.Va., and Ashland, Ky.
4. Huntsville, Ala.
5. Fort Wayne, Ind.
6. Beaumont, Texas
7. Peoria, Ill.
8. Green Bay, Wis.
9. Davenport-Bettendorf, Iowa, and Moline-Rock Island, Ill.
10. Knoxville, Tenn.

Lindsay Smith

The Wichita Eagle

Lindsay Smith is a suburban news reporter for the Wichita Eagle, covering the communities of Andover, Bel Aire, Derby, Haysville and Kechi. She has been on The Eagle staff since 2022 and was the service journalism reporter for three years. She has a degree in communications with an emphasis in journalism from Wichita State, where she was editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Sunflower, for two years. You can reach her via email at lsmith@wichitaeagle.com.