Most Populated Cities in Illinois
Cities ranked by total population · 50 cities · Updated 2026-04-05
This ranking shows the most populated cities in Illinois based on data from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. All 50 cities are sorted by total population from highest to lowest. Chicago leads the ranking with a value of 2,707,648 and a population of 2,707,648.
The top three cities are Chicago (2,707,648), Aurora (179,867), and Joliet (149,785). Data is updated nightly from official Census APIs. Click any city name to view its full demographic profile, or see the national most populated cities ranking to compare across all 50 states. You can also explore all cities in Illinois.
| Rank | City | Value | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Chicago | 2,707,648 | 2,707,648 |
| #2 | Aurora | 179,867 | 179,867 |
| #3 | Joliet | 149,785 | 149,785 |
| #4 | Naperville | 149,424 | 149,424 |
| #5 | Rockford | 147,649 | 147,649 |
| #6 | Elgin | 114,106 | 114,106 |
| #7 | Springfield | 113,714 | 113,714 |
| #8 | Peoria | 112,126 | 112,126 |
| #9 | Waukegan | 88,919 | 88,919 |
| #10 | Champaign | 88,822 | 88,822 |
| #11 | Cicero | 83,223 | 83,223 |
| #12 | Bloomington | 78,703 | 78,703 |
| #13 | Schaumburg | 76,780 | 76,780 |
| #14 | Evanston | 76,552 | 76,552 |
| #15 | Arlington Heights | 76,220 | 76,220 |
| #16 | Bolingbrook | 73,813 | 73,813 |
| #17 | Decatur | 70,368 | 70,368 |
| #18 | Palatine | 66,548 | 66,548 |
| #19 | Skokie | 66,427 | 66,427 |
| #20 | Des Plaines | 59,408 | 59,408 |
| #21 | Orland Park | 57,961 | 57,961 |
| #22 | Oak Lawn | 57,098 | 57,098 |
| #23 | Berwyn | 55,888 | 55,888 |
| #24 | Mount Prospect | 55,648 | 55,648 |
| #25 | Tinley Park | 55,007 | 55,007 |
| #26 | Wheaton | 53,453 | 53,453 |
| #27 | Oak Park | 53,315 | 53,315 |
| #28 | Normal | 52,908 | 52,908 |
| #29 | Hoffman Estates | 51,186 | 51,186 |
| #30 | Downers Grove | 49,867 | 49,867 |
| #31 | Glenview | 47,682 | 47,682 |
| #32 | Plainfield | 45,705 | 45,705 |
| #33 | Elmhurst | 45,538 | 45,538 |
| #34 | Lombard | 43,722 | 43,722 |
| #35 | Buffalo Grove | 42,824 | 42,824 |
| #36 | Moline | 42,235 | 42,235 |
| #37 | Belleville | 41,722 | 41,722 |
| #38 | Romeoville | 40,996 | 40,996 |
| #39 | Bartlett | 40,531 | 40,531 |
| #40 | DeKalb | 40,464 | 40,464 |
| #41 | Crystal Lake | 40,436 | 40,436 |
| #42 | Carol Stream | 39,427 | 39,427 |
| #43 | Park Ridge | 39,241 | 39,241 |
| #44 | Quincy | 39,188 | 39,188 |
| #45 | Streamwood | 39,055 | 39,055 |
| #46 | Wheeling | 38,495 | 38,495 |
| #47 | Urbana | 38,447 | 38,447 |
| #48 | Carpentersville | 37,544 | 37,544 |
| #49 | Hanover Park | 36,850 | 36,850 |
| #50 | Rock Island | 36,758 | 36,758 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What city has the most populated in Illinois?
Chicago ranks #1 for most populated cities in Illinois with a value of 2,707,648 and a population of 2,707,648.
How many cities are ranked for most populated cities in Illinois?
There are 50 cities ranked for most populated cities in Illinois. Rankings are based on data from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
How does Illinois compare to other states for most populated cities?
You can compare Illinois's city rankings to other states or view the national ranking at our national most populated cities page, which lists the top 100 cities across all 50 states.