United States › Illinois › Lake Forest CITY · 2020 ACS
Lake Forest Illinois · 19,367 residents · 17.2 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Lake Forest is home to 19,367 people in Illinois. That is roughly 176% ahead of the Illinois median. Median household income runs $189,118, well clear of the $66,278 US median. 81% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 33% nationally. Median home value sits at $818,000. At a median age of 47.1, this is an older place than the country as a whole.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 47.1
US median: 38.8
More educated
81% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
More affordable
home values down 15%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 41.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
18K 18K 19K 20K 21K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Lake Forest Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $189,118
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $136,462 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $77,092 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 74.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 2.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Public administration 8.3%
Transportation & warehousing 6.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.5%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.6%
Education & health services 0.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
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$818,000
−15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $638,800 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$1,627
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $1,005 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 87.3% in 2000
14.3% rent
from 2.82 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 5.8 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 92.4%(18,537)
Hispanic / Latino 1.9%(376)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 84.6%(16,380)
Hispanic / Latino 4.7%(914)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data Ancestry
+ 33 more ancestry groups with data from 73.8% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 97.2% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 33.9% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 23.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 67.8% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.7% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 53.9% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 56.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 2.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 32.2%(2,526)
Women 15+
Never married 23.7%(2,037)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 2.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 11%(75)
Gulf War (1990s) 10.7%(73)
Share of the 683 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Lake Forest Head to head
Compare Lake Forest to nearby cities LAKE FOREST VS
Highland Park
Income $168,094 −11%
Home value $607,300 −26%
Population 30,767 +56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKE FOREST VS
Deerfield
Income $181,660 −4%
Home value $623,400 −24%
Population 19,642 same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKE FOREST VS
Vernon Hills
Income $121,943 −36%
Home value $412,300 −50%
Population 26,825 +36%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKE FOREST VS
North Chicago
Income $60,172 −68%
Home value $159,600 −80%
Population 34,050 +73%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Lake Forest, Illinois? Lake Forest, Illinois has about 19,367 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Lake Forest, Illinois? The typical household in Lake Forest, Illinois earns about $189,118 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 $818,000, and the typical rent is about $1,627 a month.
How educated are people in Lake Forest, Illinois? About 81.2% 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 2.9% 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 1,531 residents, a change of about 9 percent over that period.
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