Located just five miles from O’Hare Airport and nearly 20 from downtown Chicago, Villa Park has long been considered a best-kept secret in Illinois. Now, the suburb is gaining national recognition as a great place to live and raise a family, according to two new lists released by Money Magazine.

Villa Park was ranked No. 8 on Money Magazine’s 2017 list of the Best Places in America to Raise a Family Now, and came in at No. 28 on the list of Best Places to Live in America. It was the only community in Illinois to make the top ten on the Best Places in America to Raise a Family list. 

According to Time’s Money Magazine, 65.1 percent of the population is under 50 years old and the high school graduation rate is 89 percent. Unemployment is modest and incomes are higher than the state median. Additionally, the median housing price is about $263,000. Job growth is projected to be 3.9 percent. Villa Park residents also have an average commute time of just 25 minutes.

The village is home to a number of amenities, including the Illinois Prairie Path and a nine-hole golf course. Residents also have access to the Salt Creek Trail and the Great Western Trail. The Great Western Trail has a new trailhead off South Villa Avenue that offers 12 miles of walking or hiking throughout DuPage County.

Another contributing factor for Villa Park’s high ranking is the fact that there are 207 libraries within 15 miles. According to the Daily Herald, voters this past spring approved a tax increase to fund a $10.6 million renovation of the library at 205 S. Ardmore Ave. The renovation and expansion will include more parking, large meeting rooms, study spaces, and areas for technology and quiet reading.