In December, StorageCafe released a list of the most city-like suburbs with Chicagoland dominating the top spots. Now, a new study from the site investigates the pricing of that premier suburban living — and Illinois suburbs ranked as the most affordable.
Of the 100 best suburbs published previously, 76% are more expensive than the principal cities in their metro area. But within that group, the cheapest options are clustered in Chicagoland, led by Crystal Lake. The full list for low-priced, amenity-rich suburbs is as follows:
1. Crystal Lake, Ill.
2. Algonquin, Ill.
3. Elk Grove Village, Ill.
4. Snellville, Ga.
5. Bloomingdale, Ill.
6. Vernon Hills, Ill.
7. Buffalo Grove, Ill.
8. Orland Park, Ill.
9. Morton Grove, Ill.
10. North Haven, Conn.
Aerial view of Crystal Lake
On average, a home in the 100 most desirable suburbs costs $848,800 — more than twice the national average. But in Crystal Lake, the average homes costs $301,750. That’s not only less than the national average, but also less than the Chicago metro average.
Additionally, the northwest suburb is a safe community with architectural variety, according to the report. Made mostly up of single-family homes with spacious yards, it’s a family-oriented choice outside for life outside the big city. Crystal Lake ranked No. 38 on StorageCafe’s original list of the best suburbs.
And trailing Crystal Lake in the No. 2 and No. 3 spots are two more northwest suburbs: Algonquin and Elk Grove Village, respectively, with average home prices of $331,260 and $331,340. Like Crystal Lake, these areas are friendly communities with good schools as well and close access to local nature.
Other reasonably priced Chicago suburbs, according to the study, include Bloomingdale, Vernon Hills, Buffalo Grove, Orland Park and Morton Grove.