- Population age 65+ (%): 17.4%
- median household income: $75,489
- Average home price: $195,531
- Total monthly cost of living: $2,919
- Habitable: 75
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Photo Disclaimer: Photos are for illustrative purposes only. In many cases, the nearest major city outside the city/county mentioned in the article was used.
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities in Illinois to find the best cities to retire on $3,000 a month. Various data were obtained using the 2024 5-year US Census ACS, including total population, population age 65 and older, total families, and median household income. Cost of living indices were obtained from Sperling’s BestPlace and using the national average expense cost for retired households, as obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for retired consumer units, the average expense cost for each city can be calculated. The average single-family home value was obtained from the Zillow Home Value Index for December 2025. The average mortgage can be calculated by assuming a 10% down payment and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, obtained from Federal Reserve economic data. Using average mortgage and expense costs, the total cost of living can be calculated for each city. Places with a total monthly cost of living above $3,000 were eliminated for this study. The liveability index was obtained from AreaVibes and the locations were sorted to show the highest liveability first, representing the places with the highest quality of life. All data is updated as of February 4, 2026.