Unless you live in Los Angeles or New York City, you probably don’t see celebrities every day. While Chicago is known for attracting some high profile folks, a fun fact about Illinois is that many of these folks actually call small towns across the state home. You might not see these small-town Illinois celebrities on the red carpet, but more likely at the local grocery store when visiting family. (Which, honestly, is a lot cooler I think.)
1. Cindy Crawford, DeKalb
International supermodel Cindy Crawford hails from the rural college town of DeKalb. Bonus Fact: My mom went to high school with her!
DeKalb is a historic small town that is home to Northern Illinois University. It is known for its vast fields of corn and is considered the birthplace of barbed wire.
2. Ronald Reagan, Tampico
Before he became the 40th President of the United States or a big name in Hollywood, Ronald Reagan was just a kid from the small town of Tampico.
With fewer than a thousand residents, Tampico is the smallest village on our list, but it still impresses with its rich history. The commercial building where Reagan was born still stands and Main Street is a historic neighborhood that is on the National Register of Historic Places.
3. Kathryn Hahn, Westchester
Comedian extraordinary Kathryn Hahn is another small-town Illinois native who hails from the village of Westchester.
With a population of about 17,000, Westchester is one of the smaller cities in the Cook County suburb, located about 30 minutes outside of Chicago. But the expansive parks and streets lined with handsome apartment buildings certainly convey a close-knit sense of community.
4.Melissa McCarthy, Plainfield
Another comedy icon, Melissa McCarthy, calls a small town in Illinois her hometown. A Plainfield native, McCarthy is best known for her role as Ursula in Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid.
Plainfield is a suburb in Will and Kendall counties with many historic buildings, a war memorial and great parks for bird watching and recreation.
5. Dick Van Dyke, Danville
The city is the county seat in Vermillion County and has a rich history that includes Native American tribes such as Miami, Kickapoo and Potawatomi. There are also more than 15,000 acres of parkland, a 1,000 acre lake and beautifully preserved historic homes and buildings.
You know these small-town Illinois celebrities? Do you or your family share your hometown with celebrities? Tell us in the comments! And if you fancy a celebrity sighting in Illinois, check out this popular celebrity hotspot!
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