Lake County, Illinois
Among the top 12% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 1% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 71% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 64% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 85% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 88% of US counties
- top 4% for broadband access
- top 6% for airport distance
- bottom 1% for property tax rate
Lake County is a county in Illinois with about 713,000 residents. It grades A for lifestyle & connectivity and F for affordability. Standout strengths include broadband access, airport distance, and walkability. It rates lower on monthly owner costs and property tax rate.
Official websitelakecountyil.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
freez.
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72%46%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.1 in1.9 in
humid 97%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$105k97th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$62kbetter than 5% of US counties
Home Value$314k89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 7% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 3% of US counties
Property Tax Rate2.74%better than 1% of US counties
Income Tax5.00%better than 46% of US counties
Sales Tax8.86%better than 15% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden16.16%better than 6% of US counties
Unemployment5.0%better than 45% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)24°F21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)74°F30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation37.7 in38th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall39.8 inbetter than 20% of US counties
Sunny Days240 daysbetter than 54% of US counties
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 64% of US counties
Comfortable Days93 daysbetter than 84% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk96.0better than 4% of US counties
Air Quality42 AQIbetter than 56% of US counties
School Quality99.1better than 91% of US counties
Violent Crime400/100kbetter than 77% of US counties
Property Crime597/100kbetter than 67% of US counties
Community
Population713,15997th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.725th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5284th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0262nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+257th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)58.9%23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)6.5%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)22.8%86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)8.4%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.4%50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time29 minbetter than 20% of US counties
Walkability10.0/20better than 93% of US counties
Airport Distance25 mibetter than 94% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.8%better than 96% of US counties
Amenities Nearby4.26better than 63% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 58% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lake County an affordable place to live?
- Lake County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $62k, better than 5% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Lake County?
- The median home value in Lake County is $314k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Lake County?
- Median household income in Lake County is $105k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Lake County?
- Median gross rent in Lake County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Lake County safe?
- Lake County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 400/100k (better than 77%). Property crime is 597/100k.
- What is the weather like in Lake County?
- Lake County averages 74°F in July and 24°F in January, with 37.7 in of annual precipitation and about 240 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Lake County?
- Public-school quality in Lake County is above average, scoring better than 91% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Lake County?
- The average one-way commute in Lake County is 29 min.
Other counties in Illinois
Explore Illinois
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)