An Illinois conservation community is among 50 best places to live in US, magazine says

A conservation-focused subdivision of a Chicago suburb was recently named in financial magazine Money’s list “The 50 Best Places to Live in the U.S.”

Prairie Crossing, a subdivision of Grayslake, made the list and was lauded for its “green” construction techniques. The places on the Money list were not numerically ranked, but categorized in five groups : suburbs with soul (where Prairie Crossing was listed), hidden gems, new boomtowns, not just college towns and culture hubs.

Some of the metrics Money considered include the health of the local job market, average housing costs for homeowners and renters, percentage of residents in poverty and public school quality.

Here’s what to know about Prairie Crossing.

Prairie Crossing, Illinois

Prairie Crossing is described as a “conservation community” focusing on the preservation of open land, easy commuting by rail and responsible development practices.

Money reports the subdivision “occupies more than 650 acres dominated by restored open prairies, wetlands and a working organic farm.”

The community’s development began in 1992 and was based on 10 guiding principles, according to Prairie Crossing’s website:

1. Environmental protection and enhancement

2. A healthy lifestyle

3. A sense of place

4. A sense of community

5. Economic and racial diversity

6. Convenient and efficient transportation

7. Energy conservation

8. Lifelong learning and education

9. Aesthetic design and high-quality construction

10. Economic viability

Grayslake, the Chicago suburb in which Prairie Crossing is located, has an estimated population of 20,954 , the U.S. Census Bureau Reports. The suburb’s owner-occupied housing rate is 74.5% and the median household income is $110,662.

Best Places to Live 2024

Here’s the full list of Money’s The 50 Best Places to Live in the U.S. 2024:

• Metuchen, N.J.

• Ybor City (Tampa), Fla.

• Chattanooga, Tenn.

• Portland, Maine

• Cincinnati, Ohio

• Babcock Ranch, Fla.

• Bisbee, Ariz.

• La Crosse, Wisc.

• Thomasville, Ga.

• Camas, Wash.

• Eureka Springs, Ark.

• Brevard, N.C.

• Fruita, Colo.

• Bay St. Louis, Miss.

• Milford, Conn.

• Durham, N.C.

• Ogden, Utah

• Kalamazoo, Mich.

• Lexington, Ky.

• Eugene, Ore.

• Fayetteville, Ark.

• Oneonta, N.Y.

• Knoxville, Tenn.

• Northampton, Mass.

• Lawrence, Kansas

• Atlanta, Ga.

• Sacramento, Calif.

• Richmond, Va.

• Las Cruces, N.M.

• Oklahoma City, Okla.

• Detroit, Mich.

• Pawtucket, R.I.

• Yellow Springs, Ohio

• Media, Penn.

• Troy, N.Y.

• Covington, Ky.

• Temecula, Calif.

• Northfield, Minn.

• Ferndale, Mich.

• Prairie Crossing, Ill.

• Boise, Idaho

• Frederick, Md.

• Tulsa, Okla.

• Clarksville, Tenn.

• Lancaster, Penn.

• Port St. Lucie, Fla.

• New Braunfels, Texas

• Rock Hill, S.C.

• Buffalo, N.Y.

• Rogers, Ark.

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