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 Aug. 17, 2025, by Chicago Parent writer Sarah Knieff. Her work included adding the 2024 Niche rankings for the “Best Places to Raise a Family in DuPage County.” Questions? Please reach out to editor@chicagoparent.com.
Here are the top 10 best places to raise a family in DuPage County on the list:
1. Hinsdale
- Average home value: $999,100
- Population: 17,155
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.
2. Clarendon Hills
- Average home value: $595,500
- Population: 8,642
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.
3. Naperville
- Average home value: $509,900
- Population: 149,424
Naperville boasts many parks and forest preserves, including popular Centennial Beach. It earns an “A+” from Niche for excellent public schools.
4. Glen Ellyn
- Average home value: $522,600
- Population: 28,270
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.
5. Elmhurst
- Average home value: $532,800
- Population: 45,538
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.
6. Oak Brook
- Average home value: $867,900
- Population: 8,028
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. Wheaton
- Average home value: $447,700
- Population: 53,453
For families, the Wheaton Public Library is a huge draw–it’s frequently ranked as one of the top 10 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.
8. Lisle
- Average home value: $407,000
- Population: 23,413
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.
9. Itasca
- Average home value: $375,600
- Population: 9,525
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.
10. Winfield
- Average home value: $363,400
- Population: 9,982
“Living in Winfield offers residents a sparse suburban feel and most residents own their homes,” Niche says. “In Winfield there are a lot of parks. Residents of Winfield tend to lean conservative. The public schools in Winfield are highly rated.”
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