Rankings and ratings are popular tools for gauging the health of a community on a variety of factors. Or, at least they look good on marketing collateral.

  • Three Chicago suburbs make national ranking of best suburbs.
  • Hinsdale, Deerfield and Winnetka were recognized for scoring well for factors that give suburbs of big metro areas a good quality of life.
  • Winnetka was noted for its high median income of $211,250, which makes it one of the wealthiest suburbs in the US.

Rankings and ratings are popular tools for gauging the health of a community on a variety of factors. Or, at least they look good on marketing collateral.

For those who are looking at suburbs close to bigger metros that have easy commutes, high incomes, low crime and good schools, Business Insider just released its annual listicle of the best 50 places to live if you are seeking the suburban experience. It defines “suburban” as between 5,000 and 100,000 residents.

The publication studies a variety of quality-of-life factors, among them average commute times, median household income, crime rates, public school rankings, and housing affordability.

To make the cut, too, the community had to be within roughly 25 miles from a big city.

The Midwest state combined dominated the list, and Chicago suburbs Hinsdale, Deerfield and Winnetka proudly represent for Illinois.

[Tweet “Chicago suburbs Hinsdale, Deerfield and Winnetka proudly represent for Illinois”]

On the west side, Hinsdale took the no. 28. spot. Business Insider noted that the town has a “quaint downtown, beautiful residences, and renowned public schools.” They also noted the convenience of the Burlington Northern line express train to downtown.  The median household income is reported to be $161,701 in Hinsdale.

Northern communities Deerfield, at no. 38, and Winnetka, at no. 40, were Chicago’s other two entries on the list. Deerfield’s bio included recognition of its collection of corporate headquarters, rock-bottom crime rate and well-respected schools.  

Winnetka was noted for its high median income of $211,250, which makes it one of the wealthiest suburbs in the U.S. It also boasts a very well-educated community, with 88 percent of its residents holding at least a bachelor’s degree.

The top 10 suburbs on the Business Insider list of 50 greats are:

  1. New Albany, Ohio
  2. Mountain Brook, Alabama
  3. Ladue, Missouri
  4. University Park, Texas
  5. Atherton, California
  6. Piedmont, California
  7. Highland Park, Texas
  8. Indian Hill, Ohio
  9. Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania
  10. Bellaire, Texas

Email Kimberley Sirk.

Show Comments Hide Comments
Sign up for Inman’s Morning Headlines
What you need to know to start your day with all the latest industry developments
By submitting your email address, you agree to receive marketing emails from Inman.
Success!
Thank you for subscribing to Morning Headlines.
Back to top
×
Log in
If you created your account with Google or Facebook
Don't have an account?
Forgot your password?
No Problem

Simply enter the email address you used to create your account and click "Reset Password". You will receive additional instructions via email.

Forgot your username? If so please contact customer support at (510) 658-9252

Password Reset Confirmation

Password Reset Instructions have been sent to

Subscribe to The Weekender
Get the week's leading headlines delivered straight to your inbox.
Top headlines from around the real estate industry. Breaking news as it happens.
15 stories covering tech, special reports, video and opinion.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
It looks like you’re already a Select Member!
To subscribe to exclusive newsletters, visit your email preferences in the account settings.
Up-to-the-minute news and interviews in your inbox, ticket discounts for Inman events and more
1-Step CheckoutPay with a credit card
By continuing, you agree to Inman’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

You will be charged . Your subscription will automatically renew for on . For more details on our payment terms and how to cancel, click here.

Interested in a group subscription?
Finish setting up your subscription
×