Chicago

Shortest commutes to Downtown Chicago

Ranked on distance to Downtown Chicago at 50% and the mean commute time residents report to the Census at 50%. The mean commute includes people who work locally, which is why the two numbers do not always agree.

Updated Sep 2026·60 suburbs considered, 10 listed
1
J. Sterling Morton High School East Auditorium in Cicero, Illinois
Cicero$249k median · 29.3 min commute
Commute DHousing FCost of living C+
70
Commute score
overall 49 D+
2
The Berwyn City Hall, built in 1939 and designed by the architecture firm of Burnham & Hammond.
Berwyn$300k median · 29.0 min commute
Commute D+Housing D−Cost of living C−
68
Commute score
overall 52 D+
3
View of Fountain Square in Evanston, Illinois looking south-southeast towards Chicago and Lake Michigan
Evanston$481k median · 27.5 min commute
Commute C+Housing CCost of living C−
67
Commute score
overall 69 B−
4
Skokie is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Its name comes from a Potawatomi word for "marsh". A Chicago suburb, for many years Skokie promoted
Skokie$387k median · 27.9 min commute
Commute CHousing C−Cost of living C−
66
Commute score
overall 66 C+
5
A Chicago River tour boat passes in front of Trump Tower
Chicago$334k median · 33.1 min commute
Commute DHousing D−Cost of living C
66
Commute score
overall 54 C−
6
Lake Street at dusk
Oak Park$466k median · 31.6 min commute
Commute C−Housing CCost of living D−
63
Commute score
overall 67 C+
7
Leaning Tower Of Niles
Niles$359k median · 28.3 min commute
Commute C−Housing D+Cost of living C+
62
Commute score
overall 62 C
8
Downtown Hammond, Indiana May 23, 2016
Hammond$160k median · 25.7 min commute
Commute C−Housing FCost of living B+
62
Commute score
overall 45 D
9
Lilacia Park Historic District
Lombard$336k median · 25.6 min commute
Commute C+Housing CCost of living C−
60
Commute score
overall 63 C+
10
Addison, IL - Addison Village Hall
Addison$341k median · 25.6 min commute
Commute CHousing D+Cost of living C
60
Commute score
overall 56 C−
This list's weighting
Distance to downtown 50%Mean commute time 50%
Other Chicago lists
Best Chicago suburbs for familiesMost affordable Chicago suburbsBest Chicago suburbs for schoolsMost walkable Chicago suburbsBest Chicago suburbs for young professionalsHow we score Chicago suburbs →

Photos from Wikimedia Commons: Cicero (Teemu08 · CC BY-SA 3.0); Berwyn (Milos Necas · CC0); Evanston (Madcoverboy (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0); Skokie (Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0); Chicago (File:Chicago River ferry.jpg: John Picken derivative work: Georgfotoart · CC BY 2.0); Oak Park (Dennisyerger84 · CC BY-SA 4.0); Niles (Miroslaw Mucha · Public domain); Hammond (HammondMan · CC BY-SA 4.0); Lombard (Jim Roberts · CC BY-SA 4.0); Addison (User:BillboardMister · CC BY-SA 3.0).