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Lake County, Illinois Demographics 2026

Lake County, Illinois has a population of 714,223, the 3rd most populous county in Illinois. The median household income is $110,416 and the median home value is $345,700. The poverty rate is 8.3%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Lake County Quick Facts

Population 714,223
Median Household Income $110,416
Median Home Value $345,700
Poverty Rate 8.3%
Unemployment Rate 5.2%
Median Age 39.1 years
Homeownership Rate 74.8%
Affordability Ratio 3.1x
Bachelor's Degree+ 47.7%
High School Graduation 90.6%
Cities/Places 55
Population 714,223 3rd of 102
Median Income $110,416 32% higher than state
Poverty Rate 8.3%
Unemployment 5.2%

How Lake County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population711,885714,223+0.3%
Median household income$108,917$110,416+1.4%
Median home value$326,600$345,700+5.8%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 9.7%
$25K-$50K 12.0%
$50K-$100K 23.6%
$100K+ 54.7%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
3.8%
$10K-$15K
1.7%
$15K-$20K
2.0%
$20K-$25K
2.2%
$25K-$30K
2.2%
$30K-$35K
2.5%
$35K-$40K
2.3%
$40K-$45K
2.5%
$45K-$50K
2.5%
$50K-$60K
4.9%
$60K-$75K
7.2%
$75K-$100K
11.4%
$100K-$125K
10.5%
$125K-$150K
8.3%
$150K-$200K
11.9%
$200K+
24.1%

Employment

5.2% Unemployment Rate State: 5.8%|National: 5.2%
68.2% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 74.8%
Renter 25.2%
Affordability Index Affordable
3.1x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $1,477/mo 16.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

61out of 100
High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 61 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Lake County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Waukegan89,076$71,91915.3%$190,900
Mundelein31,915$108,3408.2%$309,700
North Chicago30,643$60,17224.5%$159,600
Gurnee30,510$119,6285.2%$344,300
Highland Park30,398$168,0944.2%$607,300
Round Lake Beach27,079$86,05914.8%$199,200
Vernon Hills26,876$121,9436.1%$412,300
Zion24,600$63,10416.0%$183,800
Grayslake20,929$113,9726.3%$309,500
Libertyville20,525$165,6674.2%$512,000
Lake Zurich19,832$135,9683.4%$435,300
Lake Forest19,416$235,0813.5%$938,300
Round Lake18,628$111,9779.0%$278,600
Antioch14,859$108,8997.9%$306,700
Lindenhurst14,417$131,4744.1%$294,100
Beach Park14,115$85,6648.5%$245,800
Wauconda14,027$111,2396.2%$278,600
Fox Lake11,131$70,81913.1%$228,100
Gages Lake10,819$103,3187.0%$310,500
Hawthorn Woods9,143$219,6310.6%$619,100
Lake Villa8,683$118,7503.2%$351,700
Long Grove8,305$250,000+1.2%$804,600
Island Lake8,014$103,1566.7%$262,500
Lincolnshire7,980$185,5805.2%$677,700
Round Lake Park7,919$55,8138.7%$164,900
Park City7,827$60,1719.6%$57,400
Volo6,706$160,7922.1%$319,700
Winthrop Harbor6,559$95,6905.2%$250,800
Lakemoor6,467$100,4144.7%$265,500
Lake Bluff6,041$204,0001.5%$776,700
Lake Barrington5,442$141,9586.3%$475,700
Highwood5,301$107,87516.0%$405,400
Grandwood Park5,262$126,7362.8%$330,500
Fox River Grove4,523$121,5063.7%$298,900
Kildeer4,292$250,000+1.0%$770,700
Green Oaks4,096$147,6146.1%$673,100
Riverwoods4,013$249,2050.7%$800,700
Wadsworth3,686$142,7388.5%$378,900
Hainesville3,524$129,91116.1%$210,500
Long Lake3,307$104,6217.5%$220,100
North Barrington3,143$226,0554.8%$765,900
Round Lake Heights2,592$78,98614.5%$216,800
Fox Lake Hills2,399$111,9643.2%$245,000
Venetian Village2,334$79,2734.2%$231,100
Channel Lake2,052$68,25023.2%$223,000
Forest Lake1,865$96,2504.0%$346,400
Knollwood1,864$138,6187.8%$393,000
Port Barrington1,477$149,8862.7%$379,600
Bannockburn1,148$214,0005.1%$1,037,200
Third Lake1,137$150,1392.0%$361,500
Tower Lakes1,106$154,1672.0%$510,300
Lake Catherine968$91,66711.9%$257,200
Indian Creek874$164,2503.2%$450,800
Mettawa663$181,3336.6%$871,500
Old Mill Creek143$108,3334.9%$450,000

Explore Illinois Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Lake County is located in Illinois with a total population of 714,223. It is the 3rd most populous county out of 102 in Illinois. The county encompasses 55 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lake County is 39.1 years. This is about the same as the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Lake County is $110,416. This is 32% higher than the state median of $83,390. It is also 37% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.3%. This is 29% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 5.2%. This is 11% lower than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $345,700. Housing costs are 31% higher than the state median of $263,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.1x. 74.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Lake County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 56.2% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 24.9%. The Black or African American population (6.3%) is well below the state average of 13.3%.

Education

47.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Lake County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 26% higher than the state rate of 37.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.6%. Notably, 20.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Lake County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Illinois and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Lake County, Illinois?

Lake County has a population of 714,223, making it the 3rd most populous county in Illinois.

What is the median income in Lake County?

The median household income in Lake County is $110,416 with a poverty rate of 8.3%.

How many cities are in Lake County, Illinois?

Lake County contains 55 Census-designated places.