Joliet 76 Exceptional
Joliet Livability #146 ranked city in Illinois#2,925 ranked city in the USARanks better than 90% of areas

Pros and Cons of Living in Joliet

PROS
  • Commute

    High scores in the commute category could indicate that this area offers short commute times to work and readily available public transportation options.

  • Cost Of Living

    Residents in this area benefit from an affordable cost of living. This includes goods and services, transportation, housing, utilities, groceries and healthcare.

  • Employment

    This area scores extremely well in the employment category. This is primarily due to the combination of low unemployment rates, higher median home income and income per capita.

  • Housing

    The housing category in this area boasts higher than average scores, likely influenced by a positive home affordability ratio, robust appreciation rates or elevated home values.

CONS
  • Schools

    Factors such as lower than average graduation rates, lackluster reading and math scores and the limited accessibility of local elementary and high schools could contribute to the low schools score.

New Real Estate Listings in Joliet Area
Search Homes for Sale in Joliet, IL

What's it like Living in Joliet?

Joliet, Illinois is a mid-sized city with a population of 147,323 people. More than a quarter of the residents of Joliet identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino, and 24% of the population speak Spanish as their primary or secondary language. Long, unnecessary commutes can be both frustrating and inconvenient when heading to work. Nationwide, the average one-way commute time takes 26 minutes, but regrettably, residing in Joliet entails a longer-than-average one-way commute time, averaging 30 minutes.

Are you trying to decide if living in Joliet is the right fit for your lifestyle? To ensure a good experience before relocating to any new city in Illinois, you will probably want to make sure that you check all of the most important boxes. Several key factors deserve attention. For one, safety is paramount, ensuring that your new area is low in crime is key. Proximity to workplaces or schools minimizes commute times and fosters convenience. Access to essential amenities like parks, grocery stores, food, fitness, shops and healthcare facilities enhances daily life. Efficient public transportation options provide mobility and connectivity. The sense of community creates a welcoming and supportive environment. Lastly, the overall atmosphere, encompassing the vibe, aesthetics, and lifestyle offerings, contributes to a fulfilling living experience. Considering these elements helps identify the ideal neighborhood for your needs and preferences. Finding the best places to live in Joliet and nearby areas is a much easier task when you can rely on information and data from the livability score, which includes crime, cost of living, health & safety, employment, housing and other important metrics.

Joliet, IL receives 75 out of 100 for its livability score; this results in a ranking of #158 in Illinois and #3,352 in the USA. Pack your bags! This is a very high score in comparison to other US cities. Living in Joliet could be a great choice! If we examine each of the categories individually, we see that Joliet ranks well for cost of living (B+), employment (B+) and housing (A+). On a more negative note, Joliet does not have favorable scores for the following: education (F). If we take a look at the data, we can find out why.

For home buyers, real estate will be the largest purchase they will ever make and it will also be their most valuable asset. For renters, the monthly rent paid on their Joliet apartments will most likely be their largest expense. Based on tangible metrics like home and rental affordability and appreciation rates, housing in this area has received a score that is well above the average of every other US city. A thriving real estate market can also generate strong local economic activity and job creation.

Certain items on your wish list like shopping, restaurants, nightlife, parks and proximity to public transportation are all important things to look for. Having said that, perhaps the most important metric to consider when contemplating a move to Joliet is real estate affordability. Median real estate prices in Joliet come in at $193,100, which is 10.5% higher than the Illinois average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Joliet, the home price to income ratio is 2.7, which is 10% lower than the Illinois average.

Best Places to Live in and Around Joliet

See all the best places to live around Joliet

How Do You Rate The Livability In Joliet?

1. Select a livability score between 1-100
0
Awful
25
Poor
50
Average
75
Good
100
Great
2. Select any tags that apply to this area
View results

Compare Joliet, IL Livability

      vs

      Joliet transportation information

      Statistic Joliet Illinois National
      Average one way commute30min29min26min
      Workers who drive to work83.3%73.4%76.4%
      Workers who carpool8.4%8.3%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit1.9%9.2%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle0.1%0.6%0.6%
      Workers who walk1.0%3.1%2.8%
      Working from home4.3%4.4%4.6%
      Source: The Joliet, IL data and statistics displayed above are derived from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).