Cook County vs Lake County
Cook County, Illinois versus Lake County, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Lake County edges out Cook County on overall objective livability (46 vs 35 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Cook County | Lake County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $78k | $105k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $62k |
| Home Value | $294k | $314k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.02% | 2.74% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.51% | 16.16% |
| Unemployment | 7.1% | 5.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.1 in | 37.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.2 in | 39.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 240 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 87 days | 93 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 100.0 | 96.0 |
| Air Quality | 57 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 99.1 |
| Violent Crime | 2025/100k | 400/100k |
| Property Crime | 2190/100k | 597/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 5,225,367 | 713,159 |
| Median Age | 37.5 | 38.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.68 | 0.52 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | D+51 | D+25 |
| White (%) | 41.1% | 58.9% |
| Black (%) | 22.4% | 6.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 25.9% | 22.8% |
| Asian (%) | 7.6% | 8.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 32 min | 29 min |
| Walkability | 13.6/20 | 10.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 8 mi | 25 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.9% | 92.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 1.21 | 4.26 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cook County or Lake County more affordable?
- Cook County has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Cook County's $55k and Lake County's $62k. Median rent is $1k in Cook County versus $1k in Lake County.
- Is Cook County or Lake County safer?
- Lake County has the lower violent crime rate. Cook County reports 2025/100k and Lake County reports 400/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Cook County or Lake County?
- The median home value is $294k in Cook County and $314k in Lake County, so homes are more affordable in Cook County.