Algonquin vs Crystal Lake
Algonquin, Illinois versus Crystal Lake, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Algonquin and Crystal Lake score about the same overall (44 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Algonquin | Crystal Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $130k | $103k |
| Cost of Living | $61k | $61k |
| Home Value | $306k | $271k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.54% | 2.74% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.91% | 15.14% |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | 4.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.6 in | 39.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.1 in | 35.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 95 days | 95 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 60.3 | 61.1 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 72.4 | 93.1 |
| Violent Crime | 755/100k | 770/100k |
| Property Crime | 976/100k | 569/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 29,888 | 40,463 |
| Median Age | 41.0 | 39.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.30 | 0.21 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 77.9% | 81.5% |
| Black (%) | 2.0% | 0.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 11.2% | 11.5% |
| Asian (%) | 5.2% | 3.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.8% | 2.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 33 min | 30 min |
| Walkability | 9.2/20 | 9.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 25 mi | 29 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.5% | 94.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 93.35 | 46.22 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Algonquin or Crystal Lake more affordable?
- Crystal Lake has the lower cost of living: its index is $61k, compared with Algonquin's $61k and Crystal Lake's $61k. Median rent is $2k in Algonquin versus $1k in Crystal Lake.
- Is Algonquin or Crystal Lake safer?
- Algonquin has the lower violent crime rate. Algonquin reports 755/100k and Crystal Lake reports 770/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Algonquin or Crystal Lake?
- The median home value is $306k in Algonquin and $271k in Crystal Lake, so homes are more affordable in Crystal Lake.