10 cities tracked | Avg BoomScore: 52 | Population: 3,869,473
| # | City | Score | Pop Growth | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aurora | 59 | +0.89% | Steady Growth |
| 2 | Naperville | 57 | +0.35% | Steady Growth |
| 3 | Chicago | 55 | +2.02% | Steady Growth |
| 4 | Waukegan | 55 | -0.06% | Steady Growth |
| 5 | Elgin | 54 | +0.72% | Emerging |
| 6 | Joliet | 53 | +0.89% | Emerging |
| 7 | Peoria | 49 | +0.89% | Emerging |
| 8 | Champaign | 49 | +2.34% | Emerging |
| 9 | Springfield | 47 | +1.33% | Emerging |
| 10 | Rockford | 42 | -0.06% | Emerging |
25 cities with the highest growth scores for 2026-2027. Data-backed, updated quarterly.