Choosing the right place to raise a family profoundly impacts your children’s worldviews and overall happiness. In DuPage County, numerous towns offer excellent amenities, top-tier schools and safe environments, making them perfect for family living.
Niche, a website offering rankings and statistics on towns, schools and colleges, also publishes a ranking of the best places to raise a family in DuPage County. These statistics were calculated based on public schools, crime rates, cost of living, and family-friendly amenities. Data for these categories come from the U.S. Census, FBI, BLS, CDC and other data sources. You can find the full methodology here.
This article was updated on Sept. 6, 2024, by Chicago Parent’s Audience Development Manager, Katina Beniaris. Her work included adding the 2024 Niche rankings for the “Best Places to Raise a Family in DuPage County.” Questions? Please reach out to katina@chicagoparent.com.
Here are the top 10 best places to raise a family in DuPage County on the list:
1. Clarendon Hills
- Average home value: $570,600
- Population: 8,707
This suburb is very safe, offers an easy commute and has excellent public schools options. Clarendon Hills has a station on Metra’s BNSF Line, providing daily transit between Aurora, Illinois and Chicago, too.
2. Hinsdale
- Average home value: $962,700
- Population: 17,169
The affluent suburb of Hinsdale offers families excellent public schools, outdoor activities and jobs options. Hinsdale’s downtown area is a National Register Historic District.
3. Naperville
- Average home value: $433,400
- Population: 149,013
Naperville boasts many parks and forest preserves, including popular Centennial Beach. It earns an “A+” from Niche for excellent public schools.
4. Elmhurst
- Average home value: $516,900
- Population: 45,648
With a dense suburban feel, Elmhurst families enjoy excellent public schools and great outdoor activity options. Every year, the town hosts the popular Art in Wilder Park event with more than 125 booths.
5. Lisle
- Average home value: $401,000
- Population: 23,499
Residents of Lisle enjoy excellent public schools, a diverse city and good outdoor activity options. For little ones interested in baseball and basketball, the Bulls/Sox Training Academy located in Lisle offers year round programs for kids.
6. Oak Brook
- Average home value: $825,600
- Population: 8,065
Oak Brook earns an “A+” from Niche in the public schools and good for families categories. It offers residents a sparse suburban feel with many restaurants, coffee shops and parks.
7. Glen Ellyn
- Average home value: $516,600
- Population: 28,304
Glen Ellyn offers residents excellent public schools and great recreation options, including the Ackerman Sports Center, Spring Avenue Recreation Center, Main Street Recreation Center and Sunset Pool Aquatic Center.
8. Itasca
- Average home value: $379,700
- Population: 9,627
Itasca earns an “A+” from Niche in the public schools and good for families categories. It also earns an “A-” in the crime and safety ranking. Most residents in Itasca own their homes.
9. Wheaton
- Average home value: $430,600
- Population: 53,673
For families, the Wheaton Public Library is a huge draw–it’s frequently ranked as one of the top ten libraries in the nation. Wheaton also hosts the annual DuPage County Fair and houses the historic Grand Theater, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
10. Willowbrook
- Average home value: $347,200
- Population: 9,177
Willowbrook offers residents access to ten community parks, the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve and more. It earns an “A+” in the public schools category from Niche.
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