Now that we’re headed towards the next big election, we wanted to get a better sense of what parts of Illinois would be the most likely to back Donald Trump again.
Specifically, which cities have the highest number of conservative voters in the Prairie State?
To do so, we used Saturday Night Science to measure how each city in Illinois with populations greater than 5,000 voted in past elections. The cities with the highest percentage of voters who voted Republican were named the most conservative cities in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
If you’re wondering, North Riverside is the most liberal city in Illinois of all those we measured.
And to be clear, we didn’t form this list based on our own biases — we relied on the cold hard data. For more on how we ran the numbers, keep on reading. Then we’ll take a closer look at each of our top 10 most conservative cities in Illinois.
Additional reading about Illinois and the most conservative places in the country:
The 10 Most Conservative Places In Illinois For 2024
/10
Percent Republican: 80.1%
More on Vandalia: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 78.8%
More on Effingham: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Percent Republican: 78.6%
More on Marion: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 78.0%
More on Carmi: Data | Real Estate
/10
Percent Republican: 77.9%
More on Pana: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Percent Republican: 77.4%
More on Centralia: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 75.8%
More on Mount Carmel: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 75.6%
More on Paris: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 75.5%
More on Olney: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 74.7%
More on Robinson: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
How we determined the most conservative cities in Illinois for 2024
To find the most conservative places in Illinois, we used Saturday Night Science – the argument you’d make at a bar – to find the cities with the most conservatives.
We started by making a list of every city in Illinois over 5,000 people based on the 2018-2022 American Community Survey. That left us with 330 cities and towns.
We then measured the voting record and MIT election data to determine which places rock the most rightward in their allegiances by:
- Percentage Of Votes For The Republican President In 2020
Because no voting data exists at the city level, we used county-level election results from the 2020 election. We assigned every city in a county the percentage of votes that went to the Republicans, effectively extending the county’s results to the city level. In cases where larger cities encompassed an entire county, the election outcomes accurately reflected the city’s political landscape.
Next, we ranked each city from 1 to 330 for each criterion, where number one was the most conservative.
The winner, Vandalia, is “The Most Conservative City in Illinois For 2024”. The most liberal place in Illinois was North Riverside.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the most conservative places to live in Illinois.
Summing Up The Conservative Strongholds in Illinois
Well, there you have it, the places in Illinois that have the highest number of conservatives per capita, with Vandalia ranking as the most conservative in the entire state.
The most conservative cities in Illinois are Vandalia, Effingham, Marion, Carmi, Pana, Centralia, Mount Carmel, Paris, Olney, and Robinson.
If you’re curious, here are the least conservative cities in Illinois:
- North Riverside
- Midlothian
- Park Ridge
For more Illinois reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Illinois
- Cheapest Places To Live In Illinois
- Most Dangerous Cities In Illinois
- Richest Cities In Illinois
- Safest Places In Illinois
- Worst Places To Live In Illinois
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Illinois
Most Conservative Places In Illinois
| Rank | City | Population | % Conservative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vandalia, IL | 6,058 | 80.1% |
| 2 | Effingham, IL | 12,244 | 78.8% |
| 3 | Marion, IL | 16,867 | 78.6% |
| 4 | Carmi, IL | 5,042 | 78.0% |
| 5 | Pana, IL | 5,167 | 77.9% |
| 6 | Centralia, IL | 12,096 | 77.4% |
| 7 | Mount Carmel, IL | 6,978 | 75.8% |
| 8 | Paris, IL | 8,331 | 75.6% |
| 9 | Olney, IL | 8,995 | 75.5% |
| 10 | Robinson, IL | 7,089 | 74.7% |
| 11 | Chester, IL | 6,941 | 74.4% |
| 12 | Metropolis, IL | 5,963 | 73.3% |
| 13 | Harrisburg, IL | 8,380 | 73.2% |
| 14 | Benton, IL | 6,999 | 73.1% |
| 15 | West Frankfort, IL | 7,168 | 73.1% |
| 16 | Jerseyville, IL | 7,623 | 73.0% |
| 17 | Pinckneyville, IL | 5,104 | 72.7% |
| 18 | Du Quoin, IL | 5,822 | 72.7% |
| 19 | Salem, IL | 7,228 | 72.6% |
| 20 | Quincy, IL | 39,441 | 72.2% |
| 21 | Mount Vernon, IL | 14,740 | 71.7% |
| 22 | Taylorville, IL | 11,318 | 71.4% |
| 23 | Pontiac, IL | 11,451 | 71.1% |
| 24 | Streator, IL | 12,279 | 71.1% |
| 25 | Clinton, IL | 6,889 | 70.2% |
| 26 | Litchfield, IL | 6,937 | 69.5% |
| 27 | Hillsboro, IL | 5,673 | 69.5% |
| 28 | Greenville, IL | 7,121 | 69.1% |
| 29 | Eureka, IL | 5,504 | 69.1% |
| 30 | Lincoln, IL | 13,371 | 68.7% |
| 31 | Beardstown, IL | 5,884 | 68.2% |
| 32 | Herrin, IL | 12,344 | 67.8% |
| 33 | Carbondale, IL | 22,039 | 67.8% |
| 34 | Carterville, IL | 5,836 | 67.8% |
| 35 | Carlinville, IL | 5,724 | 67.2% |
| 36 | Waterloo, IL | 11,012 | 66.9% |
| 37 | Columbia, IL | 11,036 | 66.9% |
| 38 | Danville, IL | 29,100 | 65.6% |
| 39 | Jacksonville, IL | 17,639 | 65.0% |
| 40 | Monticello, IL | 6,337 | 63.6% |
| 41 | Charleston, IL | 17,795 | 62.1% |
| 42 | Mattoon, IL | 16,830 | 62.1% |
| 43 | Minooka, IL | 12,606 | 61.9% |
| 44 | Morris, IL | 14,491 | 61.9% |
| 45 | Channahon, IL | 13,807 | 61.9% |
| 46 | Braidwood, IL | 6,160 | 61.9% |
| 47 | Coal City, IL | 5,218 | 61.9% |
| 48 | Rockford, IL | 148,173 | 61.8% |
| 49 | Rochelle, IL | 9,417 | 61.8% |
| 50 | Pekin, IL | 32,075 | 61.6% |
| 51 | Morton, IL | 16,601 | 61.6% |
| 52 | Washington, IL | 15,988 | 61.6% |
| 53 | East Peoria, IL | 22,552 | 61.6% |
| 54 | Peoria Heights, IL | 5,890 | 61.6% |
| 55 | Spring Valley, IL | 5,518 | 59.7% |
| 56 | Princeton, IL | 7,749 | 59.7% |
| 57 | Kewanee, IL | 12,179 | 59.7% |
| 58 | Colona, IL | 5,404 | 59.7% |
| 59 | Geneseo, IL | 6,421 | 59.7% |
| 60 | Canton, IL | 13,380 | 59.2% |
| 61 | Monmouth, IL | 8,764 | 59.1% |
| 62 | Dixon, IL | 15,573 | 58.7% |
| 63 | Mount Zion, IL | 6,255 | 57.9% |
| 64 | Decatur, IL | 70,975 | 57.9% |
| 65 | Macomb, IL | 15,207 | 57.2% |
| 66 | Bourbonnais, IL | 18,125 | 57.2% |
| 67 | Kankakee, IL | 24,795 | 57.2% |
| 68 | Manteno, IL | 8,632 | 57.2% |
| 69 | Bradley, IL | 15,379 | 57.2% |
| 70 | Freeport, IL | 23,884 | 56.8% |
| 71 | Ottawa, IL | 18,708 | 56.2% |
| 72 | Lasalle, IL | 9,562 | 56.2% |
| 73 | Mendota, IL | 6,961 | 56.2% |
| 74 | Peru, IL | 9,831 | 56.2% |
| 75 | Loves Park, IL | 22,935 | 55.6% |
| 76 | Belvidere, IL | 25,389 | 55.6% |
| 77 | Bethalto, IL | 9,281 | 55.4% |
| 78 | Granite City, IL | 27,026 | 55.4% |
| 79 | Alton, IL | 25,642 | 55.4% |
| 80 | East Alton, IL | 5,782 | 55.4% |
| 81 | Highland, IL | 10,215 | 55.4% |
| 82 | Glen Carbon, IL | 13,654 | 55.4% |
| 83 | Pontoon Beach, IL | 6,039 | 55.4% |
| 84 | Wood River, IL | 10,313 | 55.4% |
| 85 | Godfrey, IL | 17,791 | 55.4% |
| 86 | Maryville, IL | 8,219 | 55.4% |
| 87 | Edwardsville, IL | 26,622 | 55.4% |
| 88 | Troy, IL | 10,920 | 55.4% |
| 89 | Collinsville, IL | 24,294 | 55.4% |
| 90 | Sterling, IL | 14,852 | 53.1% |
| 91 | Rock Falls, IL | 8,904 | 53.1% |
| 92 | Galesburg, IL | 29,923 | 51.9% |
| 93 | Springfield, IL | 114,214 | 51.1% |
| 94 | Chatham, IL | 14,437 | 51.1% |
| 95 | Huntley, IL | 27,652 | 50.2% |
| 96 | Mchenry, IL | 27,493 | 50.2% |
| 97 | Woodstock, IL | 26,084 | 50.2% |
| 98 | Island Lake, IL | 8,039 | 50.2% |
| 99 | Algonquin, IL | 29,888 | 50.2% |
| 100 | Crystal Lake, IL | 40,463 | 50.2% |