Cities in Illinois by population

Chicago, IL had the highest population of 225 cities in 2021, at 2.71 million. Mahomet, IL had the lowest, at 9,629. The median was 21,265 and the figure for Illinois was 12.7 million. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest2,705,934Chicago, IL

Lowest9,629Mahomet, IL

Median21,265225 cities

Illinois12,703,354History

Top 40 cities, 2021

persons. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

Rank	Cities	2021 persons	Change on 2020
1	Chicago, IL	2,705,934	-1.3%
2	Aurora, IL	179,458	-0.4%
3	Joliet, IL	150,803	+0.3%
4	Naperville, IL	149,510	+0.1%
5	Rockford, IL	147,911	-0.6%
6	Springfield, IL	114,592	+0.1%
7	Elgin, IL	114,060	-0.5%
8	Peoria, IL	112,077	-0.7%
9	Champaign, IL	89,188	+0.9%
10	Waukegan, IL	88,789	-0.4%
11	Cicero, IL	83,317	-1.9%
12	Bloomington, IL	78,841	+0.2%
13	Evanston, IL	77,618	-0.3%
14	Schaumburg, IL	77,139	-1.7%
15	Arlington Heights, IL	76,092	-1.7%
16	Bolingbrook, IL	73,723	-0.1%
17	Decatur, IL	70,347	-1.2%
18	Skokie, IL	66,488	-1.8%
19	Palatine, IL	66,439	-1.8%
20	Des Plaines, IL	59,443	-1.7%
21	Orland Park, IL	57,903	-1.1%
22	Oak Lawn, IL	57,096	-1.8%
23	Berwyn, IL	55,915	-1.9%
24	Mount Prospect, IL	55,660	-1.8%
25	Tinley Park, IL	54,968	-1.6%
26	Wheaton, IL	53,604	-0.5%
27	Oak Park, IL	53,542	-1.9%
28	Normal, IL	52,957	-0.1%
29	Hoffman Estates, IL	51,430	-1.8%
30	Downers Grove, IL	49,809	-0.7%
31	Glenview, IL	47,735	-1.5%
32	Plainfield, IL	45,610	+1.5%
33	Elmhurst, IL	45,609	-0.2%
34	Lombard, IL	44,067	-0.8%
35	Buffalo Grove, IL	42,826	-0.6%
36	Moline, IL	42,433	-1%
37	Romeoville, IL	41,920	+2.7%
38	Belleville, IL	41,822	-1%
39	DeKalb, IL	40,829	+1.5%
40	Bartlett, IL	40,557	-1.1%
41	Crystal Lake, IL	40,511	+0.7%
42	Carol Stream, IL	39,418	-0.9%
43	Quincy, IL	39,310	-0.6%
44	Urbana, IL	39,136	+0.7%
45	Park Ridge, IL	38,834	-1.7%
46	Streamwood, IL	38,719	-1.8%
47	Wheeling, IL	38,526	-1.8%
48	Carpentersville, IL	37,668	-0.6%
49	Hanover Park, IL	36,832	-1.4%
50	Rock Island, IL	36,495	-1.4%
51	Addison, IL	35,384	-0.7%
52	Oswego, IL	35,355	+1.8%
53	Calumet City, IL	35,248	-1.8%
54	Northbrook, IL	34,628	-1.5%
55	Woodridge, IL	33,867	-0.7%
56	St. Charles, IL	33,080	0%
57	Glendale Heights, IL	32,806	-0.9%
58	O'Fallon, IL	32,395	-0%
59	Elk Grove Village, IL	32,261	-1.8%
60	Mundelein, IL	31,608	+0.2%
61	Pekin, IL	31,592	-0.7%
62	North Chicago, IL	31,372	+2%
63	Gurnee, IL	30,556	-0.3%
64	Niles, IL	30,265	-1.8%
65	Highland Park, IL	30,216	+0.2%
66	Algonquin, IL	29,963	+1%
67	Galesburg, IL	29,618	-1.1%
68	Lake in the Hills, IL	28,979	+0.2%
69	Burbank, IL	28,841	-1.7%
70	Danville, IL	28,801	-1.1%
71	Glen Ellyn, IL	28,738	-0.8%
72	Lansing, IL	28,432	-1.8%
73	Huntley, IL	28,004	+0.9%
74	Wilmette, IL	27,651	-1.5%
75	McHenry, IL	27,647	+1%
76	New Lenox, IL	27,528	+1%
77	Granite City, IL	27,336	-0.6%
78	Round Lake Beach, IL	27,111	-0.4%
79	Chicago Heights, IL	26,879	-1.8%
80	Oak Forest, IL	26,877	-1.8%
81	Edwardsville, IL	26,870	+0.2%
82	Vernon Hills, IL	26,803	-0%
83	Batavia, IL	26,523	+0.1%
84	Lockport, IL	26,157	0%
85	Woodstock, IL	25,805	+0.6%
86	Alton, IL	25,468	-0.7%
87	West Chicago, IL	25,411	-0.6%
88	Belvidere, IL	25,161	-0.4%
89	Morton Grove, IL	24,743	-1.8%
90	Zion, IL	24,631	-0.4%
91	Homer Glen, IL	24,562	+0.2%
92	Westmont, IL	24,221	-0.8%
93	Melrose Park, IL	24,210	-1.8%
94	Collinsville, IL	24,202	-0.7%
95	Elmwood Park, IL	23,982	-1.8%
96	South Elgin, IL	23,933	+0.5%
97	Rolling Meadows, IL	23,845	-1.3%
98	Kankakee, IL	23,791	-0.9%
99	Freeport, IL	23,726	-1%
100	Lisle, IL	23,469	-0.8%
101	Loves Park, IL	23,378	-0.2%
102	Maywood, IL	23,162	-1.1%
103	Machesney Park, IL	22,794	-0.6%
104	Yorkville, IL	22,765	+4.6%
105	Roselle, IL	22,705	-1%
106	Bloomingdale, IL	22,445	+0.5%
107	East Peoria, IL	22,299	-0.7%
108	Carbondale, IL	22,211	-0.3%
109	Blue Island, IL	22,064	-1.8%
110	Villa Park, IL	22,004	-0.9%
111	Darien, IL	21,806	-0.9%
112	Montgomery, IL	21,346	+4.4%
113	Geneva, IL	21,265	-0.3%
114	Park Forest, IL	21,255	-1.6%
115	Grayslake, IL	21,159	-0.3%
116	South Holland, IL	21,008	-1.8%
117	Dolton, IL	20,940	-1.8%
118	East Moline, IL	20,718	-2.7%
119	Libertyville, IL	20,537	-0.1%
120	Frankfort, IL	20,523	+1%
121	Crest Hill, IL	20,348	-0.3%
122	Harvey, IL	19,884	-1.8%
123	Mokena, IL	19,877	+0.1%
124	Lake Zurich, IL	19,740	-0.2%
125	Evergreen Park, IL	19,510	-1.8%
126	Lake Forest, IL	19,492	+0.7%
127	Brookfield, IL	19,126	-1.6%
128	Deerfield, IL	19,075	-0.3%
129	Homewood, IL	19,022	-1.8%
130	Ottawa, IL	18,774	-0.2%
131	Sycamore, IL	18,752	+0.6%
132	Matteson, IL	18,685	-1.8%
133	Alsip, IL	18,660	-1.8%
134	Round Lake, IL	18,631	-0.3%
135	Bensenville, IL	18,597	-0.9%
136	North Aurora, IL	18,378	+0.4%
137	Bellwood, IL	18,370	-1.9%
138	Franklin Park, IL	18,292	-0.3%
139	Shorewood, IL	18,285	+0.6%
140	East St. Louis, IL	18,228	-1.1%
141	Bourbonnais, IL	18,211	+0.6%
142	Jacksonville, IL	18,155	-0.5%
143	Palos Hills, IL	18,140	-1.7%
144	Charleston, IL	18,094	+3%
145	Cary, IL	17,869	+0.4%
146	Godfrey, IL	17,770	-0.2%
147	Lemont, IL	17,676	-0.7%
148	Cahokia Heights, IL	17,608	-1.2%
149	Hinsdale, IL	17,288	-0.5%
150	Morton, IL	17,196	+0.1%
151	Mattoon, IL	16,882	+0.1%
152	Marion, IL	16,741	-0.6%
153	Bridgeview, IL	16,675	-1.7%
154	Westchester, IL	16,517	-1.9%
155	Fairview Heights, IL	16,500	-1.2%
156	Country Club Hills, IL	16,410	-1.8%
157	La Grange, IL	16,028	-1.7%
158	Washington, IL	16,001	-0.4%
159	Prospect Heights, IL	15,712	-1.7%
160	Macomb, IL	15,446	+0.6%
161	Bradley, IL	15,296	-0.6%
162	Dixon, IL	15,201	-1%
163	Norridge, IL	14,992	-1.4%
164	Warrenville, IL	14,959	+9.2%
165	Antioch, IL	14,833	+1.5%
166	Sterling, IL	14,757	-0.6%
167	Mount Vernon, IL	14,511	-0.4%
168	Chatham, IL	14,477	+0.4%
169	Morris, IL	14,378	+1%
170	Lindenhurst, IL	14,334	-0.3%
171	Shiloh, IL	14,312	+1.5%
172	Swansea, IL	14,212	-0.9%
173	Hickory Hills, IL	14,204	-1.7%
174	Beach Park, IL	14,192	-0.3%
175	Chicago Ridge, IL	14,146	-1.8%
176	Wood Dale, IL	14,101	-0.8%
177	Wauconda, IL	14,031	-0.3%
178	Forest Park, IL	14,012	-1.9%
179	Midlothian, IL	13,992	-1.8%
180	Glen Carbon, IL	13,878	+0.1%
181	Channahon, IL	13,773	+2.2%
182	La Grange Park, IL	13,464	-1.7%
183	Western Springs, IL	13,401	-1.4%
184	Lincoln, IL	13,299	+0.4%
185	Canton, IL	13,258	-0.7%
186	Hazel Crest, IL	13,185	-1.8%
187	Lincolnwood, IL	13,175	-1.8%
188	Minooka, IL	12,795	+0.4%
189	Northlake, IL	12,607	-1.7%
190	Winnetka, IL	12,512	-1.5%
191	Richton Park, IL	12,508	-1.8%
192	Streator, IL	12,414	-0.4%
193	Kewanee, IL	12,392	-0.6%
194	Justice, IL	12,358	-1.7%
195	Effingham, IL	12,296	-0.3%
196	Herrin, IL	12,259	-0.6%
197	Palos Heights, IL	12,209	-1.7%
198	Rantoul, IL	12,192	-1.1%
199	Plano, IL	12,188	+2.4%
200	Centralia, IL	12,042	-0.6%
201	River Forest, IL	11,785	-3.6%
202	Troy, IL	11,523	+0.8%
203	Schiller Park, IL	11,455	-1.8%
204	Markham, IL	11,413	-1.8%
205	Pontiac, IL	11,240	+0.4%
206	Burr Ridge, IL	11,120	-0.4%
207	Waterloo, IL	11,073	+0.7%
208	Columbia, IL	11,004	-0.3%
209	Roscoe, IL	10,952	-0.4%
210	Fox Lake, IL	10,933	-0.3%
211	Summit, IL	10,908	-1.9%
212	Pingree Grove, IL	10,898	+4.6%
213	Campton Hills, IL	10,845	-0.1%
214	Worth, IL	10,741	-1.7%
215	Barrington, IL	10,669	-0.4%
216	Crestwood, IL	10,613	-1.6%
217	Lyons, IL	10,575	-1.8%
218	River Grove, IL	10,555	-0.2%
219	Riverdale, IL	10,424	-1.9%
220	Taylorville, IL	10,404	-0.9%
220	Wood River, IL	10,404	-0.2%
222	Winfield, IL	10,146	+3.3%
223	Highland, IL	10,071	-0.1%
224	Manhattan, IL	10,039	+5.4%
225	Mahomet, IL	9,629	+1.5%

Other periods

About this ranking

Resident population.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. 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). Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals) (Cities in Illinois by population, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/

MLA 9

Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals), Cities in Illinois by population, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 14 May 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population/illinois-cities?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals). Cities in Illinois by population, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population/illinois-cities?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals), Cities in Illinois by population, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/population/illinois-cities?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX

@misc{census_cities_in_illinois_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals): Cities in Illinois by population, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population/illinois-cities?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}

RIS

TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals): Cities in Illinois by population, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/05/14
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/population/illinois-cities?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population/illinois-cities?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -

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Questions

Which city has the highest population?

Chicago, IL, with 2.71 million in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest population?

Mahomet, IL, with 9,629 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, Annual estimates of the resident population for incorporated places, 1 July (Population Estimates Program, subcounty totals). Retrieved 2026-10-12.