This IL spot is the second ‘most livable small city’ in the US, analysis finds
An Illinois city was recently named the second “most livable small city” in the U.S., and it’s not in Chicagoland.
A July 9 analysis from finance website SmartAsset ranked Bloomington in second place for its “Most Livable Small Cities in the U.S.” list for 2025, and two suburbs of St. Louis made the top 10, as well.
SmartAsset evaluated 279 cities with populations between 65,000 and 100,000 on “livability” factors such as housing costs as a percentage of household income, poverty rates, unemployment, percentage of residents with health insurance, average commute time and access to health care and entertainment facilities. Sources used included the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, according to SmartAsset.
O’Fallon, Mo., and St. Charles, Mo., were ranked No. 4 and No. 10, respectively. The U.S. city to take first place was Plymouth, Minn., which boasts a 98.74% rate of residents covered by health insurance, with typical housing costs equivalent to 17.51% of median annual incomes.
Here’s what made Bloomington and the two Missouri cities stand out.
The most livable small cities in Illinois and Missouri
Bloomington, with a population of 78,591, performed particularly well for having relatively affordable housing compared to median incomes, a below-average unemployment rate and a high portion of residents with health insurance.
Popular attractions in Bloomington include historic sites and museums, the Miller Park Zoo, hiking trails and exploring the downtown area.
Here’s how Bloomington performed in SmartAsset’s analysis:
- Housing costs as a percentage of income: 18.16%
- Median monthly housing costs: $1,174
- Median annual household income: $77,577
- Poverty rate: 8.2%
- Unemployment: 2.35%
- Residents with health insurance coverage: 96.48%
- Total number of businesses: 3,481
- Average commute time: 17.3 minutes
O’Fallon, Mo., not to be confused with the Illinois city or the neighborhood located within St. Louis City, has a population of 94,073 and is sometimes referred to as “the largest suburb of St. Louis.” O’Fallon’s poverty rate is less than half of Bloomington’s, and the suburb also performed well on unemployment.
Here’s how O’Fallon performed in SmartAsset’s analysis:
- Housing costs as a percentage of income: 17.77%
- Median monthly housing costs: $1,530
- Median annual household income: $103,301
- Poverty rate: 4%
- Unemployment: 1.92%
- Residents with health insurance coverage: 96.65%
- Total number of businesses: 8,946
- Average commute time: 24.8 minutes
“The City of O’Fallon is honored to be recognized – once again – by SmartAsset on their list of Most Livable Small Cities. Our city staff strives to ensure that both our current residents, and future residents, are proud to call O’Fallon their home,” O’Fallon communications director Tony Michalka wrote in an emailed statement to the News-Democrat.
“As the Mayor of the great City of O’Fallon, I am continually humbled by the awards our wonderful community receives. These accolades are a testament to our residents, staff, and businesses that are such a vital part of O’Fallon. O’Fallon offers beautiful parks, great schools, and state-of-the-art public safety – and I welcome everyone to come visit this great city at one of our upcoming events,” O’Fallon mayor Bill Hennessy said in the statement.
St. Charles has a population of 71,802, and SmartAsset recognized the city for its low unemployment rate and high median household income. St. Charles is known for its historic Main Street, access to Katy Trail and seasonal celebrations.
Here’s how St. Charles performed in SmartAsset’s analysis:
- Housing costs as a percentage of income: 20.46%
- Median monthly housing costs: $1,336
- Median annual household income: $78,359
- Poverty rate: 7.6%
- Unemployment: 1.63%
- Residents with health insurance coverage: 93.51%
- Total number of businesses: 8,946
- Average commute time: 20.5 minutes
The News-Democrat has contacted city officials with Bloomington, O’Fallon and St. Charles for comment.
Top 10 most livable small cities in the US
Here’s how the top 10 Most Livable Small Cities in the U.S. compared, according to SmartAsset’s analysis:
1. Plymouth, Minn.
2. Bloomington, Ill.
3. Livonia, Mich.
4. O’Fallon, Mo.
5. Ankeny, Iowa
6. Lakeville, Minn.
7. Flower Mound, Texas
8. Eau Claire, Wis.
9. Appleton, Wis.
10. St. Charles, Mo.
Do you have a question about living in Illinois for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Metro-east Matters form below.
This story was originally published August 22, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
