Cities in Illinois by mean travel time to work

Fox Lake, IL had the highest mean travel time to work of 221 cities in 2021, at 39.6 minutes. Macomb, IL had the lowest, at 13 minutes. The median was 29.1 minutes and the figure for Illinois was 28.7 minutes. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest39.6Fox Lake, IL

Lowest13Macomb, IL

Median29.1221 cities

Illinois28.7History

Top 40 cities, 2021

minutes. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

Rank	Cities	2021 minutes
1	Fox Lake, IL Estimated	39.6
2	Richton Park, IL Estimated	39.4
3	Dolton, IL Estimated	38.4
4	Campton Hills, IL Estimated	38.1
4	Lockport, IL Estimated	38.1
4	Matteson, IL Estimated	38.1
7	Calumet City, IL Estimated	37.2
8	Homer Glen, IL Estimated	36.5
8	Riverdale, IL Estimated	36.5
10	Frankfort, IL Estimated	36.4
11	Antioch, IL Estimated	36.3
11	South Holland, IL Estimated	36.3
13	Winnetka, IL Estimated	36.2
14	Lemont, IL Estimated	35.7
15	Burr Ridge, IL Estimated	35.6
16	Manhattan, IL Estimated	35.5
17	Wilmette, IL Estimated	35.4
18	Burbank, IL Estimated	35.3
19	Yorkville, IL Estimated	34.9
20	Country Club Hills, IL Estimated	34.8
21	Elmwood Park, IL Estimated	34.7
21	Plainfield, IL Estimated	34.7
23	Chicago, IL Estimated	34.4
23	Lake Forest, IL Estimated	34.4
25	Norridge, IL Estimated	34.3
26	Orland Park, IL Estimated	34.2
27	Hazel Crest, IL Estimated	34.1
27	New Lenox, IL Estimated	34.1
29	Oak Park, IL Estimated	34
30	Montgomery, IL Estimated	33.9
31	Hinsdale, IL Estimated	33.8
31	Oak Lawn, IL Estimated	33.8
33	Lake in the Hills, IL Estimated	33.6
34	Markham, IL Estimated	33.5
35	Mokena, IL Estimated	33.2
36	Bridgeview, IL Estimated	33.1
37	Palos Hills, IL Estimated	33
38	Naperville, IL Estimated	32.9
39	La Grange, IL Estimated	32.8
40	Channahon, IL Estimated	32.7
40	Justice, IL Estimated	32.7
42	Bartlett, IL Estimated	32.6
42	Evergreen Park, IL Estimated	32.6
42	Homewood, IL Estimated	32.6
42	Round Lake, IL Estimated	32.6
42	Tinley Park, IL Estimated	32.6
47	Barrington, IL Estimated	32.4
47	Summit, IL Estimated	32.4
49	River Grove, IL Estimated	32.3
49	Wauconda, IL Estimated	32.3
51	Algonquin, IL Estimated	32.2
51	Alsip, IL Estimated	32.2
51	Chicago Ridge, IL Estimated	32.2
51	Lindenhurst, IL Estimated	32.2
51	McHenry, IL Estimated	32.2
56	Lansing, IL Estimated	32.1
56	Oak Forest, IL Estimated	32.1
58	Maywood, IL Estimated	32
59	Park Forest, IL Estimated	31.9
59	River Forest, IL Estimated	31.9
61	Crestwood, IL Estimated	31.8
61	Huntley, IL Estimated	31.8
61	Plano, IL Estimated	31.8
64	Forest Park, IL Estimated	31.7
65	Woodridge, IL Estimated	31.6
66	Romeoville, IL Estimated	31.5
67	Brookfield, IL Estimated	31.4
67	Harvey, IL Estimated	31.4
69	Western Springs, IL Estimated	31.3
70	Bolingbrook, IL Estimated	31.1
71	La Grange Park, IL Estimated	31
72	Berwyn, IL Estimated	30.9
72	Minooka, IL Estimated	30.9
74	Darien, IL Estimated	30.8
75	Morton Grove, IL Estimated	30.7
75	Oswego, IL Estimated	30.7
75	Round Lake Beach, IL Estimated	30.7
75	Wood Dale, IL Estimated	30.7
79	Glenview, IL Estimated	30.6
80	Blue Island, IL Estimated	30.4
80	Carpentersville, IL Estimated	30.4
80	Hoffman Estates, IL Estimated	30.4
83	Glen Ellyn, IL Estimated	30.3
83	Grayslake, IL Estimated	30.3
83	Lake Zurich, IL Estimated	30.3
83	St. Charles, IL Estimated	30.3
87	Cicero, IL Estimated	30.2
87	Evanston, IL Estimated	30.2
89	North Aurora, IL Estimated	30.1
90	Buffalo Grove, IL Estimated	30
90	Lyons, IL Estimated	30
92	Roselle, IL Estimated	29.9
92	Worth, IL Estimated	29.9
94	Des Plaines, IL Estimated	29.8
94	Hanover Park, IL Estimated	29.8
94	Highland Park, IL Estimated	29.8
97	Joliet, IL Estimated	29.7
98	Downers Grove, IL Estimated	29.6
98	Mount Prospect, IL Estimated	29.6
98	Winfield, IL Estimated	29.6
98	Zion, IL Estimated	29.6
102	Midlothian, IL Estimated	29.5
102	Palos Heights, IL Estimated	29.5
102	South Elgin, IL Estimated	29.5
105	Hickory Hills, IL Estimated	29.4
105	Lisle, IL Estimated	29.4
107	Park Ridge, IL Estimated	29.3
108	Cary, IL Estimated	29.2
108	Schaumburg, IL Estimated	29.2
110	Carol Stream, IL Estimated	29.1
110	Crystal Lake, IL Estimated	29.1
110	Niles, IL Estimated	29.1
113	Batavia, IL Estimated	29
113	Northbrook, IL Estimated	29
115	Shorewood, IL Estimated	28.8
115	Streamwood, IL Estimated	28.8
117	Arlington Heights, IL Estimated	28.7
117	Aurora, IL Estimated	28.7
117	Deerfield, IL Estimated	28.7
120	Bellwood, IL Estimated	28.5
120	Geneva, IL Estimated	28.5
120	Mundelein, IL Estimated	28.5
123	Highland, IL Estimated	28.4
123	Palatine, IL Estimated	28.4
125	Skokie, IL Estimated	28.3
126	Crest Hill, IL Estimated	28.2
126	Lombard, IL Estimated	28.2
126	Vernon Hills, IL Estimated	28.2
129	Elmhurst, IL Estimated	28.1
130	Elgin, IL Estimated	27.9
130	Gurnee, IL Estimated	27.9
130	Northlake, IL Estimated	27.9
130	Waterloo, IL Estimated	27.9
134	Westchester, IL Estimated	27.8
135	Villa Park, IL Estimated	27.4
135	Warrenville, IL Estimated	27.4
137	Bensenville, IL Estimated	27.3
137	Franklin Park, IL Estimated	27.3
139	Bloomingdale, IL Estimated	27.2
139	Libertyville, IL Estimated	27.2
141	Chicago Heights, IL Estimated	27.1
141	Elk Grove Village, IL Estimated	27.1
141	West Chicago, IL Estimated	27.1
144	Woodstock, IL Estimated	27
145	Beach Park, IL Estimated	26.8
145	Godfrey, IL Estimated	26.8
145	Schiller Park, IL Estimated	26.8
145	Wheaton, IL Estimated	26.8
145	Wood River, IL Estimated	26.8
150	O'Fallon, IL Estimated	26.7
151	Lincolnwood, IL Estimated	26.6
152	Glendale Heights, IL Estimated	26.5
153	Glen Carbon, IL Estimated	26.2
153	Prospect Heights, IL Estimated	26.2
153	Sycamore, IL Estimated	26.2
153	Waukegan, IL Estimated	26.2
157	Rolling Meadows, IL Estimated	26.1
158	Belleville, IL Estimated	25.9
158	Melrose Park, IL Estimated	25.9
160	Shiloh, IL Estimated	25.8
160	Wheeling, IL Estimated	25.8
162	Troy, IL Estimated	25.7
162	Westmont, IL Estimated	25.7
164	Addison, IL Estimated	25.4
165	Columbia, IL Estimated	25.2
165	Morris, IL Estimated	25.2
167	Roscoe, IL Estimated	25.1
168	Edwardsville, IL Estimated	25
169	Streator, IL Estimated	24.6
170	Alton, IL Estimated	24.1
170	Belvidere, IL Estimated	24.1
170	Collinsville, IL Estimated	24.1
173	East St. Louis, IL Estimated	24
174	Fairview Heights, IL Estimated	23.9
175	Bradley, IL Estimated	23.7
176	Marion, IL Estimated	23.6
176	Swansea, IL Estimated	23.6
178	Chatham, IL Estimated	23.2
179	Ottawa, IL Estimated	23
180	Machesney Park, IL Estimated	22.9
181	Kankakee, IL Estimated	22.7
182	Granite City, IL Estimated	22.6
183	DeKalb, IL Estimated	22.5
184	Loves Park, IL Estimated	22.4
185	Rockford, IL Estimated	22.1
186	Pekin, IL Estimated	21.4
187	Bourbonnais, IL Estimated	20.6
188	East Moline, IL Estimated	20.5
189	Canton, IL Estimated	20.3
190	Washington, IL Estimated	20.1
191	Herrin, IL Estimated	19.7
192	Dixon, IL Estimated	19.3
193	Kewanee, IL Estimated	19
194	Rock Island, IL Estimated	18.8
195	Taylorville, IL Estimated	18.6
196	Moline, IL Estimated	18.5
197	East Peoria, IL Estimated	18.4
198	Freeport, IL Estimated	18
199	Lincoln, IL Estimated	17.6
200	Decatur, IL Estimated	17.5
200	Springfield, IL Estimated	17.5
200	Sterling, IL Estimated	17.5
203	Peoria, IL Estimated	17.4
204	Centralia, IL Estimated	17.3
204	Jacksonville, IL Estimated	17.3
206	Morton, IL Estimated	17.2
207	North Chicago, IL Estimated	16.8
208	Normal, IL Estimated	16.7
209	Mattoon, IL Estimated	16.6
210	Pontiac, IL Estimated	16.2
211	Bloomington, IL Estimated	16
211	Charleston, IL Estimated	16
211	Galesburg, IL Estimated	16
214	Urbana, IL Estimated	15.4
215	Danville, IL Estimated	15.3
216	Champaign, IL Estimated	15.2
217	Carbondale, IL Estimated	15
218	Mount Vernon, IL Estimated	13.9
219	Effingham, IL Estimated	13.6
219	Quincy, IL Estimated	13.6
221	Macomb, IL Estimated	13

Other periods

2024
2023
2022
2021

About this ranking

Mean one-way travel time to work in minutes for workers aged 16 and over who did not work from home.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. 4 cities with data in other periods have no value for 2021 and are left out rather than filled from another source. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates: mean travel time to work, B08135 aggregate minutes divided by B08303 workers not working at home, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates: mean travel time to work, B08135 aggregate minutes divided by B08303 workers not working at home, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in Illinois by mean travel time to work, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates: mean travel time to work, B08135 aggregate minutes divided by B08303 workers not working at home, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Illinois by mean travel time to work, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/mean-travel-time-to-work/illinois-cities?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates: mean travel time to work, B08135 aggregate minutes divided by B08303 workers not working at home, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in Illinois by mean travel time to work, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/mean-travel-time-to-work/illinois-cities?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates: mean travel time to work, B08135 aggregate minutes divided by B08303 workers not working at home, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Illinois by mean travel time to work, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/mean-travel-time-to-work/illinois-cities?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_illinois_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates: mean travel time to work, B08135 aggregate minutes divided by B08303 workers not working at home, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Illinois by mean travel time to work, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/mean-travel-time-to-work/illinois-cities?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates: mean travel time to work, B08135 aggregate minutes divided by B08303 workers not working at home, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}

RIS

TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates: mean travel time to work, B08135 aggregate minutes divided by B08303 workers not working at home, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Illinois by mean travel time to work, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/mean-travel-time-to-work/illinois-cities?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/mean-travel-time-to-work/illinois-cities?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates: mean travel time to work, B08135 aggregate minutes divided by B08303 workers not working at home, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -

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rank_places {"indicator":"mean_travel_time_to_work","level":"municipality","within":"Illinois","limit":10}
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Questions

Which city has the highest mean travel time to work?

Fox Lake, IL, with 39.6 minutes in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest mean travel time to work?

Macomb, IL, with 13 minutes in 2021.

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: mean travel time to work, B08135 aggregate minutes divided by B08303 workers not working at home, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12. 4 cities have no value for 2021 and are not ranked.