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CITY

Lake Forest

Illinois · 19,731 residents (2025 est.) · 17.201 sq mi
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Notable rankings
#78Highest median household incomeof 6,818$235,081#87Most educatedof 6,82680.5%#322Most expensive homesof 6,786$938,300
The short version

Lake Forest is significantly wealthier than the US average, with a median household income of $235,081. Population has declined 3% since 2000. 81% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national rate of 36%. Median home value is $938,300. With a median age of 46.1, the population is older than the US median of 38.9. It ranks in the top 1% of US cities for household income.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 46.1
US median: 38.9
More educated
81% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 19%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
19,416
−3%since 2000
from 20,059 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,129 / sq mi
−8%since 2009
from 1,225 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
46.1
+12%since 2000
from 41.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:19,731 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
18K18K19K20K21K1990201020202024Lake Forest
202419K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55%(964)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.8%(941)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.5%(1,072)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.9%(1,535)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 248.3%(1,609)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 349%(1,754)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 448%(1,549)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.2%(2,363)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.6%(2,445)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7412.8%(2,493)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 8410.4%(2,024)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over3.4%(667)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$235,081
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $136,462 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$109,918
+43%since 2000
from $77,092 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
81.5%
+6.7 ptssince 2009
from 74.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
3.5%
+1.4 ptssince 2000
from 2.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.481
−15%since 2010
from 0.567 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Other services12.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Retail trade11.1%
US avg: 9.9%
Public administration8.8%
US avg: 4.8%
Information6.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Transportation & warehousing3.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Finance & insurance2%
US avg: 5.9%
Wholesale trade2%
US avg: 6.9%
Professional, scientific, technical1.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Arts, entertainment, food1.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
Construction0%
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$938,300
−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $638,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,815
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $1,005 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
88.8%
+1.5 ptssince 2000
from 87.3% in 2000
11.2% rent
Vacancy rate
5.2%
−4.1 ptssince 2009
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
24.3%
−9.8 ptssince 2009
from 34.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
32.1%
−4.1 ptssince 2009
from 36.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.0
−32%since 2009
from 5.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
45
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Lake Forest on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic92.4%(18,537)
Black1.3%(263)
Hispanic / Latino1.9%(376)
Asian3.4%(691)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic80.2%(15,577)
Black1%(186)
Hispanic / Latino6.1%(1,182)
Asian6.4%(1,248)
Other6.3%(1,223)
Diversity Score
43
+142%since 2009
from 18 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.3%(633)
Puerto Rican0.7%(143)
Guatemalan0.4%(80)
Spaniard0.4%(80)
Ecuadorian0.3%(53)
Peruvian0.2%(43)
Colombian0.2%(40)
Costa Rican0.1%(26)
Argentine0.1%(19)
Honduran0.1%(16)
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data
Venezuelan0.1%(14)
Cuban0%(3)
Asian origin
Asian Indian2.5%(480)
Korean1.4%(269)
Chinese1%(200)
Vietnamese0.5%(96)
Filipino0.5%(92)
Taiwanese0.2%(42)
Japanese0.2%(37)
Nepalese0.2%(30)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.4%(80)
Ancestry
Irish17.8%(3,458)
German17.4%(3,385)
English13.6%(2,639)
Italian8.5%(1,658)
Polish7.1%(1,378)
Scottish3.1%(606)
French2.9%(567)
American2.7%(523)
Swedish2.7%(515)
Russian2%(380)
Greek1.9%(374)
+ 38 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch1.3%(260)
Norwegian1.3%(258)
Armenian0.7%(141)
Swiss0.7%(134)
Austrian0.7%(130)
British0.6%(126)
Arab0.6%(123)
Czech0.6%(109)
Belgian0.5%(101)
Danish0.5%(100)
Serbian0.5%(91)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(78)
Croatian0.4%(72)
Ukrainian0.4%(69)
Australian0.3%(66)
Iranian0.3%(65)
Canadian0.3%(58)
West Indian0.3%(58)
Lithuanian0.3%(53)
Welsh0.2%(47)
Hungarian0.2%(43)
Slovak0.2%(37)
Brazilian0.2%(36)
Jamaican0.2%(36)
Egyptian0.2%(33)
Slovene0.2%(32)
Nigerian0.1%(23)
Latvian0.1%(20)
Portuguese0.1%(16)
Finnish0.1%(15)
Lebanese0.1%(14)
Moroccan0.1%(13)
Haitian0.1%(10)
Kenyan0%(1)
RANKED:Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Italian population · Largest Polish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
80.5%
+6.7 ptssince 2000
from 73.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
98.1%
+0.9 ptssince 2000
from 97.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
41.9%
+8.0 ptssince 2000
from 33.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
31.3 min
+35%since 2000
from 23.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
46.1%
−21.7 ptssince 2009
from 67.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
1.8%
−3.9 ptssince 2009
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
12.3%
+3.3 ptssince 2009
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
30.3%
+19.5 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
5.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 5.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.8%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.5%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
1.8%
−4.9 ptssince 2011
from 6.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
54.1%
+0.2 ptssince 2011
from 53.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
11.1%
+4.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
69.6%
−6.7 ptssince 2009
from 76.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.7%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 47.3% in 2009
Female
52.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 52.7% in 2009
Foreign born
10.8%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
2.7%
−44.0 ptssince 2009
from 46.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
12.9%
+6.4 ptssince 2012
from 6.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
1.8%
−95.5 ptssince 2013
from 97.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
95.4%
+3.0 ptssince 2017
from 92.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
87.0%
−1.9 ptssince 2016
from 88.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
4.5%
+2.3 ptssince 2016
from 2.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married32.2%(2,526)
Married62.7%(4,926)
Widowed1.5%(115)
Divorced3.6%(284)
Women 15+
Never married23.7%(2,037)
Married57.5%(4,941)
Widowed10.1%(867)
Divorced8.7%(743)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Head to head

Compare Lake Forest to nearby cities

LAKE FOREST VS
Highland Park
Income$168,094−28%
Home value$607,300−35%
Population30,767+56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKE FOREST VS
Deerfield
Income$181,660−23%
Home value$623,400−34%
Population19,642same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKE FOREST VS
Vernon Hills
Income$121,943−48%
Home value$412,300−56%
Population26,825+36%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKE FOREST VS
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Income$60,172−74%
Home value$159,600−83%
Population34,050+73%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Lake Forest, Illinois?

Lake Forest, Illinois has about 19,416 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Lake Forest, Illinois?

The typical household in Lake Forest, Illinois earns about $235,081 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Lake Forest, Illinois expensive?

In Lake Forest, Illinois, the median home is worth about $938,300, and the typical rent is about $1,815 a month.

How educated are people in Lake Forest, Illinois?

About 80.5% of adults age 25 and over in Lake Forest, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Lake Forest, Illinois?

About 3.5% of people in Lake Forest, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.

Has Lake Forest, Illinois grown since 1990?

Yes, Lake Forest, Illinois has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,580 residents, a change of about 9 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →