Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Joliet, IL

    Is Joliet a good place to live?

    Watch Joliet

    Joliet ranks #52 of 87 Illinois cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (44/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.3% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $248,600
    +6.3% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,237
    per month
    Household income
    $88,026
    median
    Unemployment
    5.8%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Joliet

    The median home value in Joliet is $248,600 and median rent is $1,237 a month, against a median household income of $88,026. Homes cost about 2.8× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Joliet 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 Joliet, IL

    Joliet has about 149,785 residents, 5.8% unemployment and 16% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Joliet with

    Joliet vs ChicagoJoliet vs AuroraJoliet vs NapervilleJoliet vs RockfordJoliet vs ElginJoliet vs SpringfieldJoliet vs PeoriaJoliet 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