Crystal Lake, Illinois
Among the top 22% of US places for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 4% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 76% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 55% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 75% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 78% of US places
- top 17% for walkability
- top 17% for broadband access
- bottom 2% for property tax rate
Crystal Lake is a mid-size city in Illinois with about 40,000 residents. It grades B+ for lifestyle & connectivity and F for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, broadband access, and school quality. It rates lower on air quality and property tax rate.
Official websitecrystallake.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
freez.
v.cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
cool
cold
v.cold
73%46%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.3 in2.0 in
humid 99%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$103k86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$61kbetter than 10% of US places
Home Value$271k74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 21% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 17% of US places
Property Tax Rate2.74%better than 2% of US places
Income Tax5.00%better than 47% of US places
Sales Tax8.86%better than 14% of US places
Estimated total tax burden15.14%better than 17% of US places
Unemployment4.9%better than 40% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)25°F21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation39.4 in42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall35.1 inbetter than 27% of US places
Sunny Days245 daysbetter than 64% of US places
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 57% of US places
Comfortable Days95 daysbetter than 79% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk61.1better than 56% of US places
Air Quality53 AQIbetter than 9% of US places
School Quality93.1better than 83% of US places
Violent Crime770/100kbetter than 48% of US places
Property Crime569/100kbetter than 67% of US places
Community
Population40,46397th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.945th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2151st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9748th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)81.5%44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.9%56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)11.5%76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)3.6%87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.5%46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time30 minbetter than 26% of US places
Walkability9.3/20better than 83% of US places
Airport Distance29 mibetter than 82% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access94.9%better than 83% of US places
Amenities Nearby46.22better than 37% of US places
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 76% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Crystal Lake an affordable place to live?
- Crystal Lake is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $61k, better than 10% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Crystal Lake?
- The median home value in Crystal Lake is $271k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Crystal Lake?
- Median household income in Crystal Lake is $103k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Crystal Lake?
- Median gross rent in Crystal Lake is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Crystal Lake safe?
- Crystal Lake is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 770/100k (better than 48%). Property crime is 569/100k.
- What is the weather like in Crystal Lake?
- Crystal Lake averages 75°F in July and 25°F in January, with 39.4 in of annual precipitation and about 245 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Crystal Lake?
- Public-school quality in Crystal Lake is above average, scoring better than 83% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Crystal Lake?
- The average one-way commute in Crystal Lake is 30 min.
Other places in McHenry County
Places near Crystal Lake
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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)