McHenry County, Illinois
Among the top 6% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 2% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 76% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 47% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 73% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 94% of US counties
- top 1% for broadband access
- top 12% for airport distance
- bottom 1% for property tax rate
McHenry County is a county in Illinois with about 311,000 residents. It grades A for lifestyle & connectivity and F for affordability. Standout strengths include broadband access, airport distance, and walkability. It rates lower on cost of living and property tax rate.
Official websiteco.mchenry.il.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
freez.
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cool
comf.
warm
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71%45%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.3 in1.9 in
humid 98%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$100k96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$61kbetter than 5% of US counties
Home Value$271k84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 8% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 7% of US counties
Property Tax Rate2.61%better than 1% of US counties
Income Tax5.03%better than 42% of US counties
Sales Tax8.86%better than 15% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden15.02%better than 8% of US counties
Unemployment4.9%better than 47% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)24°F20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)74°F30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation38.7 in40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall34.3 inbetter than 25% of US counties
Sunny Days239 daysbetter than 53% of US counties
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 64% of US counties
Comfortable Days95 daysbetter than 86% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk90.8better than 9% of US counties
Air Quality49 AQIbetter than 19% of US counties
School Quality72.7better than 77% of US counties
Violent Crime561/100kbetter than 66% of US counties
Property Crime521/100kbetter than 71% of US counties
Community
Population311,13393rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.541st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2547th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0054th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven18th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)78.7%47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.5%44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)14.3%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.8%89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.6%30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time31 minbetter than 12% of US counties
Walkability8.3/20better than 88% of US counties
Airport Distance37 mibetter than 88% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access94.7%better than 99% of US counties
Amenities Nearby1.90better than 46% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 86% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is McHenry County an affordable place to live?
- McHenry County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $61k, better than 5% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in McHenry County?
- The median home value in McHenry County is $271k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in McHenry County?
- Median household income in McHenry County is $100k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in McHenry County?
- Median gross rent in McHenry County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is McHenry County safe?
- McHenry County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 561/100k (better than 66%). Property crime is 521/100k.
- What is the weather like in McHenry County?
- McHenry County averages 74°F in July and 24°F in January, with 38.7 in of annual precipitation and about 239 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in McHenry County?
- Public-school quality in McHenry County is above average, scoring better than 77% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in McHenry County?
- The average one-way commute in McHenry County is 31 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)