Cities in Illinois by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2024
Winnetka, IL had the highest share of adults with a bachelor's degree of 225 cities in 2024, at 86.7%. Cicero, IL had the lowest, at 10.8%. The median was 35.8% and the figure for Illinois was 37.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.
Top 40 cities, 2024
Full ranking
| Rank | Cities | 2024 (%) | Change on 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Winnetka, IL | 86.7 | -0.7 pts |
| 2 | Western Springs, IL | 83.8 | +1.8 pts |
| 3 | Wilmette, IL | 83.6 | -1 pts |
| 4 | Deerfield, IL | 82.1 | -0.6 pts |
| 5 | Hinsdale, IL | 80.8 | -0.4 pts |
| 6 | Lake Forest, IL | 80.5 | -0.3 pts |
| 7 | Highland Park, IL | 76.9 | +0.8 pts |
| 8 | River Forest, IL | 72.9 | -0.5 pts |
| 9 | Northbrook, IL | 72.6 | -0.5 pts |
| 10 | Oak Park, IL | 72.5 | 0 pts |
| 11 | Naperville, IL | 72.5 | +0.8 pts |
| 12 | Libertyville, IL | 71 | -0.5 pts |
| 13 | Evanston, IL | 69.5 | -0.8 pts |
| 14 | Buffalo Grove, IL | 68.7 | +2 pts |
| 15 | Glenview, IL | 68.3 | +0.2 pts |
| 16 | Glen Ellyn, IL | 68.2 | -0.1 pts |
| 17 | Barrington, IL | 68 | -4.6 pts |
| 18 | Vernon Hills, IL | 67.8 | +1.1 pts |
| 19 | La Grange, IL | 67.2 | +1.7 pts |
| 20 | Burr Ridge, IL | 66.6 | -2.6 pts |
| 21 | Park Ridge, IL | 66.1 | +1 pts |
| 22 | Wheaton, IL | 64.5 | +0.4 pts |
| 23 | Elmhurst, IL | 64.2 | +1.2 pts |
| 24 | Geneva, IL | 63.8 | +0.1 pts |
| 25 | Lisle, IL | 61.9 | -0.5 pts |
| 26 | Lake Zurich, IL | 60.7 | -0.5 pts |
| 27 | Arlington Heights, IL | 60.4 | +0.3 pts |
| 28 | Campton Hills, IL | 59.7 | +2 pts |
| 29 | Winfield, IL | 59.7 | -0.2 pts |
| 30 | Frankfort, IL | 59.3 | +0.1 pts |
| 31 | Grayslake, IL | 58.5 | -0.7 pts |
| 32 | Downers Grove, IL | 58.2 | -0.6 pts |
| 33 | La Grange Park, IL | 57.3 | -2.4 pts |
| 34 | Urbana, IL | 56.8 | -1.7 pts |
| 35 | Gurnee, IL | 56.7 | +2.3 pts |
| 36 | Batavia, IL | 56.5 | +1.4 pts |
| 37 | Lincolnwood, IL | 56.5 | -0.3 pts |
| 38 | Plainfield, IL | 56 | +1.1 pts |
| 39 | Morton Grove, IL | 55.2 | +3.1 pts |
| 40 | Mahomet, IL | 54.2 | +1.4 pts |
| 41 | Skokie, IL | 53.8 | +3 pts |
| 42 | Chatham, IL | 53.3 | +3.9 pts |
| 43 | Normal, IL | 52.9 | +0.5 pts |
| 44 | Champaign, IL | 52.7 | -0.9 pts |
| 45 | Edwardsville, IL | 52.6 | -1.8 pts |
| 46 | Darien, IL | 52.4 | +0.7 pts |
| 47 | O'Fallon, IL | 52.4 | +1.1 pts |
| 48 | St. Charles, IL | 52 | +0.8 pts |
| 49 | Forest Park, IL | 51.5 | +1.7 pts |
| 50 | Palatine, IL | 51.1 | +1.3 pts |
| 51 | Glen Carbon, IL | 50.8 | -1 pts |
| 52 | Schaumburg, IL | 50.4 | -0.2 pts |
| 53 | Westmont, IL | 50.1 | +0.8 pts |
| 54 | Lombard, IL | 49.9 | +0.7 pts |
| 55 | Bartlett, IL | 49.5 | +1 pts |
| 56 | Columbia, IL | 49 | -1.9 pts |
| 57 | Bloomington, IL | 48.8 | -0.2 pts |
| 58 | Mount Prospect, IL | 48.6 | -0 pts |
| 59 | Hoffman Estates, IL | 48.5 | +1.6 pts |
| 60 | Carbondale, IL | 48.2 | +1.8 pts |
| 61 | Lindenhurst, IL | 47.9 | +3.8 pts |
| 62 | New Lenox, IL | 47.6 | +2.2 pts |
| 63 | Homewood, IL | 47.4 | +1.4 pts |
| 64 | Lemont, IL | 46.9 | +1.3 pts |
| 65 | Woodridge, IL | 46.5 | +0.4 pts |
| 66 | Morton, IL | 46.4 | +3.5 pts |
| 67 | Mundelein, IL | 46 | +3.1 pts |
| 68 | Sycamore, IL | 46 | +2.4 pts |
| 69 | Orland Park, IL | 45.4 | +0.3 pts |
| 70 | Troy, IL | 45.2 | -0.2 pts |
| 71 | Bloomingdale, IL | 45 | +1.3 pts |
| 72 | Warrenville, IL | 44.9 | +2.4 pts |
| 73 | Cary, IL | 44.7 | -0.8 pts |
| 74 | Lockport, IL | 44.5 | +0.1 pts |
| 75 | Chicago, IL | 44.3 | +1 pts |
| 76 | Oswego, IL | 44.3 | +0.8 pts |
| 77 | Rolling Meadows, IL | 43.7 | +3.2 pts |
| 78 | Washington, IL | 43.7 | -0.1 pts |
| 79 | Palos Heights, IL | 43.7 | +0.7 pts |
| 80 | Westchester, IL | 43.6 | -2.1 pts |
| 81 | Algonquin, IL | 43.6 | -0 pts |
| 82 | Shiloh, IL | 43.3 | +1.4 pts |
| 83 | Pingree Grove, IL | 42.9 | -1.8 pts |
| 84 | Carol Stream, IL | 42.8 | -1 pts |
| 85 | Evergreen Park, IL | 42.7 | -0.1 pts |
| 86 | Swansea, IL | 42.5 | -0.6 pts |
| 87 | Mokena, IL | 42.5 | -2 pts |
| 88 | Huntley, IL | 42.5 | +3.1 pts |
| 89 | Brookfield, IL | 42.3 | +0.5 pts |
| 90 | Crystal Lake, IL | 42 | -0 pts |
| 91 | Round Lake, IL | 41.5 | +1 pts |
| 92 | Prospect Heights, IL | 41.3 | +5 pts |
| 93 | Elk Grove Village, IL | 41.2 | +0.3 pts |
| 94 | Shorewood, IL | 41.1 | +0.1 pts |
| 95 | Roselle, IL | 40.9 | -0.9 pts |
| 96 | Wheeling, IL | 40.8 | +0.5 pts |
| 97 | North Aurora, IL | 40.5 | -0.2 pts |
| 98 | Homer Glen, IL | 40.2 | +1.8 pts |
| 99 | Matteson, IL | 39.7 | -0.4 pts |
| 100 | Bolingbrook, IL | 39.6 | +1.2 pts |
| 101 | Niles, IL | 39.3 | +0.3 pts |
| 102 | Antioch, IL | 39.2 | -2.5 pts |
| 103 | Des Plaines, IL | 38.9 | +0.3 pts |
| 104 | Aurora, IL | 38.5 | +1.3 pts |
| 105 | Wauconda, IL | 38.2 | -1.2 pts |
| 106 | Yorkville, IL | 37.9 | -2.8 pts |
| 107 | South Elgin, IL | 37.8 | -0.6 pts |
| 108 | Peoria, IL | 37.7 | -0.3 pts |
| 109 | Waterloo, IL | 37.3 | +0.9 pts |
| 110 | Tinley Park, IL | 37 | -1.4 pts |
| 111 | Springfield, IL | 36.3 | +1.3 pts |
| 112 | Villa Park, IL | 36.3 | -0.9 pts |
| 113 | Highland, IL | 35.8 | +4.5 pts |
| 114 | Lake in the Hills, IL | 35.8 | -0.9 pts |
| 115 | Macomb, IL | 35.4 | 0 pts |
| 116 | Manhattan, IL | 35 | -0.9 pts |
| 117 | Fairview Heights, IL | 34.7 | +2.6 pts |
| 118 | Bourbonnais, IL | 34.1 | +1.1 pts |
| 119 | DeKalb, IL | 33.7 | -2 pts |
| 120 | Charleston, IL | 33.3 | -0.8 pts |
| 121 | Elmwood Park, IL | 32.6 | +3 pts |
| 122 | Roscoe, IL | 32.5 | -0.1 pts |
| 123 | Godfrey, IL | 32.4 | -1 pts |
| 124 | West Chicago, IL | 32.2 | -0 pts |
| 125 | Oak Lawn, IL | 31.6 | +1.3 pts |
| 126 | Norridge, IL | 31.5 | +2.1 pts |
| 127 | Oak Forest, IL | 31.2 | +1.1 pts |
| 128 | Collinsville, IL | 31 | +1.1 pts |
| 129 | Woodstock, IL | 30.6 | -0.8 pts |
| 130 | Minooka, IL | 30.4 | +0.7 pts |
| 131 | Glendale Heights, IL | 29.9 | -0.2 pts |
| 132 | Country Club Hills, IL | 29.7 | +2.1 pts |
| 133 | Richton Park, IL | 29.3 | -1.2 pts |
| 134 | Effingham, IL | 29.2 | +1.3 pts |
| 135 | Hanover Park, IL | 28.9 | -0.5 pts |
| 136 | Wood Dale, IL | 28.9 | +4.6 pts |
| 137 | Moline, IL | 28.8 | -0.3 pts |
| 138 | Montgomery, IL | 28.7 | -0.3 pts |
| 139 | Chicago Ridge, IL | 28.6 | +0.9 pts |
| 140 | Marion, IL | 28.6 | +1.1 pts |
| 141 | Romeoville, IL | 28.3 | +5.2 pts |
| 142 | Channahon, IL | 28.3 | -1.5 pts |
| 143 | Lansing, IL | 28.2 | +0.5 pts |
| 144 | Belleville, IL | 28 | 0 pts |
| 145 | Quincy, IL | 27.8 | +1.2 pts |
| 146 | Streamwood, IL | 27.8 | -1.3 pts |
| 147 | Palos Hills, IL | 27.6 | +2.6 pts |
| 148 | Elgin, IL | 27 | +1 pts |
| 149 | Crestwood, IL | 26.2 | +3.1 pts |
| 150 | Schiller Park, IL | 26.2 | -1.7 pts |
| 151 | South Holland, IL | 26 | -1 pts |
| 152 | Loves Park, IL | 25.7 | +0.8 pts |
| 153 | Fox Lake, IL | 25.7 | +2.4 pts |
| 154 | McHenry, IL | 25.7 | +0.2 pts |
| 155 | Joliet, IL | 25.5 | +0.5 pts |
| 156 | East Peoria, IL | 25.2 | -1.6 pts |
| 157 | River Grove, IL | 25 | -0.8 pts |
| 158 | Hickory Hills, IL | 24.8 | -0.7 pts |
| 159 | Rock Island, IL | 24.5 | +2.1 pts |
| 160 | Park Forest, IL | 24.3 | -1.4 pts |
| 161 | Carpentersville, IL | 24.3 | +0.3 pts |
| 162 | Berwyn, IL | 24.2 | -1.2 pts |
| 163 | Crest Hill, IL | 23.9 | +2.4 pts |
| 164 | Addison, IL | 23.7 | +1.8 pts |
| 165 | Morris, IL | 23.6 | -1.8 pts |
| 166 | Rockford, IL | 23.5 | +0.2 pts |
| 167 | Ottawa, IL | 23.3 | +1.3 pts |
| 168 | Hazel Crest, IL | 23.2 | -0.8 pts |
| 169 | Plano, IL | 22.9 | -4.7 pts |
| 170 | Herrin, IL | 22.8 | -1 pts |
| 171 | Dolton, IL | 22.7 | 0 pts |
| 172 | Jacksonville, IL | 22.6 | -1 pts |
| 173 | Decatur, IL | 21.6 | +0.4 pts |
| 174 | Alton, IL | 21.5 | +0.3 pts |
| 175 | Calumet City, IL | 21.4 | +0.9 pts |
| 176 | East Moline, IL | 21.2 | +0.2 pts |
| 177 | Sterling, IL | 21.1 | +2.7 pts |
| 178 | Justice, IL | 21 | +1.9 pts |
| 179 | Waukegan, IL | 20.9 | -0.1 pts |
| 180 | Chicago Heights, IL | 20.9 | +0.6 pts |
| 181 | North Chicago, IL | 20.8 | +1.7 pts |
| 182 | Bradley, IL | 20.7 | +3 pts |
| 183 | Blue Island, IL | 20.7 | +1.4 pts |
| 184 | Lincoln, IL | 20.3 | +2.1 pts |
| 185 | Midlothian, IL | 20.2 | +1.3 pts |
| 186 | Galesburg, IL | 19.7 | +0.4 pts |
| 187 | Franklin Park, IL | 19.7 | +1 pts |
| 188 | Mattoon, IL | 19.5 | 0 pts |
| 189 | Machesney Park, IL | 19.4 | +1.3 pts |
| 190 | Bensenville, IL | 19.4 | -1.2 pts |
| 191 | Beach Park, IL | 19.2 | +3.7 pts |
| 191 | Maywood, IL | 19.2 | +2.5 pts |
| 193 | Freeport, IL | 19.1 | -1 pts |
| 194 | Danville, IL | 19 | +1.7 pts |
| 195 | Alsip, IL | 18.8 | -2.5 pts |
| 196 | Worth, IL | 18.7 | -1.1 pts |
| 197 | Mount Vernon, IL | 18.5 | -0.4 pts |
| 198 | Lyons, IL | 18.4 | +1.7 pts |
| 199 | Bridgeview, IL | 18.1 | +0.3 pts |
| 200 | Pekin, IL | 17.9 | -1 pts |
| 201 | Markham, IL | 17.7 | +2.1 pts |
| 202 | Bellwood, IL | 17.2 | +1.4 pts |
| 203 | Riverdale, IL | 17 | -0.2 pts |
| 204 | Dixon, IL | 16.9 | -0.3 pts |
| 205 | Centralia, IL | 16.4 | -1.4 pts |
| 206 | Canton, IL | 16.3 | -0.4 pts |
| 207 | Pontiac, IL | 16.2 | +0.1 pts |
| 207 | Round Lake Beach, IL | 16.2 | -0.6 pts |
| 209 | Kewanee, IL | 16 | +0.8 pts |
| 210 | East St. Louis, IL | 15.9 | +1.2 pts |
| 211 | Taylorville, IL | 15.8 | -0.6 pts |
| 212 | Burbank, IL | 15.6 | +0.1 pts |
| 213 | Granite City, IL | 15.6 | -0.6 pts |
| 214 | Wood River, IL | 15.5 | 0 pts |
| 215 | Zion, IL | 15.1 | -1 pts |
| 216 | Melrose Park, IL | 15 | +0.3 pts |
| 217 | Northlake, IL | 14.9 | -0.6 pts |
| 218 | Summit, IL | 14 | +1.9 pts |
| 219 | Cahokia Heights, IL | 13.5 | +1.6 pts |
| 220 | Kankakee, IL | 13 | +0.5 pts |
| 221 | Streator, IL | 12.9 | +0.6 pts |
| 222 | Belvidere, IL | 12.8 | -0.4 pts |
| 223 | Rantoul, IL | 12.4 | +0.5 pts |
| 224 | Harvey, IL | 10.9 | +0.8 pts |
| 225 | Cicero, IL | 10.8 | -0.2 pts |
Other periods
About this ranking
People aged 25 and over whose highest degree is a bachelor's, master's, professional school or doctorate degree, as a percentage of all people aged 25 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.
Excludes associate degrees and college without a degree. Not comparable with EU tertiary attainment, which includes short-cycle tertiary education and usually covers ages 25 to 64.
Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.
How to cite
U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.Citation styles
APA 7
U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in Illinois by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat
MLA 9
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Illinois by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/illinois-cities. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.
Chicago (author-date)
U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in Illinois by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/illinois-cities.
Harvard
U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Illinois by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/illinois-cities (Accessed: 12 October 2026).
BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_illinois_by_2024,
author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Illinois by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2024}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {Data set},
url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat},
urldate = {2026-10-12},
note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/illinois-cities. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY - DATA
AU - U.S. Census Bureau
TI - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Illinois by share of adults with a bachelor's degree, 2024
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/01/29
PB - U.S. Census Bureau
DB - Invokely
UR - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat
L2 - https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/illinois-cities
Y2 - 2026/10/12
N1 - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/bachelors-degree-or-higher/illinois-cities.
N1 - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b15003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER -
Use this data in your AI agent
Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:
Rank Cities in Illinois by share of adults with a bachelor's degree using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"bachelors_degree_share","level":"municipality","within":"Illinois","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=bachelors_degree_share&level=municipality&within=Illinois&limit=10Questions
Which city has the highest share of adults with a bachelor's degree?
Winnetka, IL, with 86.7% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Which city has the lowest share of adults with a bachelor's degree?
Cicero, IL, with 10.8% in 2024.
Where does this ranking come from?
Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B15003: population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher as a percentage of the population 25 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.
Bachelor's degree or higher, population 25 and over: other rankings
- Cities in Kentucky
- Cities in New Hampshire
- Cities in New Jersey
- Counties in Oregon
- Counties in New Jersey
- Counties in Kansas
Cities in Illinois: more rankings
- White (non-Hispanic) population share
- Population speaking a language other than English at home
- Residents who moved from another county in the past year
- Population
- Unemployment rate
- Mean travel time to work
- Frequent mental distress in adults, local model estimate
- Coronary heart disease in adults, local model estimate