Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Peoria, IL

    Is Peoria a good place to live?

    Watch Peoria

    Peoria ranks #57 of 87 Illinois cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (42/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.8% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $149,500
    +1.9% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $951
    per month
    Household income
    $58,716
    median
    Unemployment
    7.8%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Peoria

    The median home value in Peoria is $149,500 and median rent is $951 a month, against a median household income of $58,716. Homes cost about 2.5× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Peoria 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 Peoria, IL

    Peoria has about 112,126 residents, 7.8% unemployment and 22% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Peoria with

    Peoria vs ChicagoPeoria vs AuroraPeoria vs JolietPeoria vs NapervillePeoria vs RockfordPeoria vs ElginPeoria vs SpringfieldPeoria 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