Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Springfield, IL

    Is Springfield a good place to live?

    Watch Springfield

    Springfield ranks #43 of 87 Illinois cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (49/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.4% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $155,200
    +5.1% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $945
    per month
    Household income
    $65,537
    median
    Unemployment
    6.7%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Springfield

    The median home value in Springfield is $155,200 and median rent is $945 a month, against a median household income of $65,537. Homes cost about 2.4× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Springfield crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Illinois the 2025 rate was 258 violent and 1,556 property crimes per 100,000 people — #24 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Springfield, IL

    Springfield has about 113,714 residents, 6.7% unemployment and 20% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Springfield with

    Springfield vs ChicagoSpringfield vs AuroraSpringfield vs JolietSpringfield vs NapervilleSpringfield vs RockfordSpringfield vs ElginSpringfield vs PeoriaSpringfield vs Waukegan

    More: Where to move in Illinois · Best counties in Illinois

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report