One area of Illinois is growing FAST, where is it?

New data shows 7 of the 10 fastest-growing towns in the Land of Lincoln are all in one area of the state! What is happening in this part of Illinois, and should you consider moving there? Here are the details...

According to an article from NBC Chicago, 7 of the 10 fastest-growing cities in Illinois from 2022 to 2023 are ALL in the suburbs of Chicago. The 2 towns that saw the largest percentage of growth from July 2022 to July 2023 are both in McHenry County, Wonder Lake, and Union, the other suburban Chicago towns to make the top ten are Volo, Hampshire, Yorkville, North Aurora, and Oswego.

Where are these people moving from? Well, the article says "According to the data, Chicago lost approximately 0.3% of its population between July 1, 2022 and July 1, 2023, sparking concern the Windy City could lose its longstanding spot as America's third-largest city if the trend continues." It isn't hard to conclude that there are people who live in Chicago who are tired of the Chicago politics, the lack of space, and the high prices, so they move from the city to the suburbs. To read more about the growth of the suburbs in Chicagoland, click here!

The BURBS is Where it's at!

I feel UNIQUELY qualified to discuss the BEST places to live in the Land of Lincoln. I grew up in the suburbs (Crystal Lake), went to college in the rural northern part of the state (shout out NIU in DeKalb), spent my 20s living in Chicago (Lakeview by far the best neighborhood in Chicago), and have spent 5 years now living in rural Quincy. I know this state. I think the Chicagoland Suburbs are the best suburbs in the US, you get the benefits of all the entertainment and fun that Chicago brings, you get the benefit of being close to one of the best and biggest airports in the world (O'Hare), and you get to have the slower pace of life. The suburbs aren't for everyone, but it doesn't shock me at all that the Burbs are growing...

LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.

Gallery Credit: Keri Wiginton