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COUNTY

Lake County

Illinois · 719,339 residents (2025 est.) · 444 sq mi
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Part of the Chicago metro area
The short version

With 714,223 people, Lake County is a county in Illinois. Few US counties rank higher on income. 48% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Households here earn about 32% more than in Illinois as a whole. Owners hold 75% of the housing stock. The median household earns $110,416, about 34% above the national median.

At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $110,416, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.1
US median: 38.9
More educated
48% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Lake County

What changed most since 1990

  • White share83.6% → 56.2% (−27.5 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
  • Hispanic share7.1% → 24.9% (+17.8 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts

Among the 102 counties in Illinois

  • 3rd in household income$110,416
  • 2nd in share with a bachelor's degree47.7%
  • 2nd in home value$345,700
  • 2nd in diversity score76.2
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
714,223
+11%since 2000
from 644,356 in 2000
719,339 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,610 / sq mi
+11%since 2000
from 1,453 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
39.1
+16%since 2000
from 33.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
444 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
497K556K615K675K734K19902000201020202024Lake County
2024714K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.3%(37,967)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.5%(46,394)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.9%(49,048)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.7%(55,189)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247%(50,316)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.4%(81,214)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.9%(92,115)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5413.2%(94,091)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.3%(95,097)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.5%(67,898)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.5%(32,258)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.8%(12,636)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$110,416
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $66,973 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$57,153
+78%since 2000
from $32,102 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
66.1%
+13.9 ptssince 2009
from 52.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
8.3%
+2.6 ptssince 2000
from 5.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.480
+2%since 2010
from 0.468 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade15.5%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services8.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration6.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Wholesale trade4.8%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance4.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing3.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.5%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.3%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$345,700
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $191,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,477
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $742 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
74.8%
−3.0 ptssince 2000
from 77.8% in 2000
25.2% rent
Vacancy rate
4.5%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.69 people
−8%since 2009
from 2.92 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
22.2%
−14.6 ptssince 2009
from 36.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
45.9%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 45.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.1
−15%since 2009
from 3.7 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
26
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic73.4%(472,968)
Black6.8%(43,580)
Hispanic / Latino14.4%(92,716)
Asian3.9%(24,866)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic56.2%(401,332)
Black6.3%(45,196)
Hispanic / Latino24.9%(177,631)
Asian8.6%(61,505)
Other4%(28,559)
Diversity Score
76
+22%since 2009
from 63 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
43
−3%since 2020
from 44 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican19.1%(136,544)
Puerto Rican1.8%(12,801)
Central American1.5%(11,059)
South American1.1%(7,523)
Honduran0.8%(5,520)
Colombian0.4%(3,016)
Cuban0.4%(2,658)
Salvadoran0.3%(2,430)
Guatemalan0.3%(2,280)
Spaniard0.2%(1,747)
Ecuadorian0.2%(1,732)
Dominican0.1%(1,057)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Argentine0.1%(869)
Peruvian0.1%(791)
Venezuelan0.1%(533)
Nicaraguan0.1%(461)
Panamanian0%(264)
Chilean0%(256)
Bolivian0%(198)
Uruguayan0%(38)
Asian origin
Asian Indian3.7%(26,528)
Filipino1.6%(11,661)
Chinese1.2%(8,866)
Korean0.9%(6,204)
Pakistani0.2%(1,645)
Japanese0.2%(1,275)
Vietnamese0.2%(1,178)
Taiwanese0.1%(589)
Cambodian0.1%(560)
Mongolian0.1%(492)
Thai0%(215)
Hmong0%(173)
+ 9 more asian origin groups with data
Malaysian0%(163)
Sri Lankan0%(163)
Laotian0%(155)
Nepalese0%(111)
Burmese0%(99)
Uzbek0%(73)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(252)
Chamorro0%(79)
Tongan0%(47)
Fijian0%(37)
Ancestry
German15.8%(112,961)
Irish10%(71,697)
Polish7.4%(53,062)
English6.4%(45,782)
Italian6%(43,061)
American3.3%(23,897)
Russian2.1%(15,270)
Swedish1.9%(13,394)
Norwegian1.4%(10,350)
French1.4%(10,323)
Scottish1.2%(8,743)
Greek0.9%(6,434)
+ 50 more ancestry groups with data
Ukrainian0.8%(6,068)
Dutch0.7%(4,717)
Hungarian0.6%(4,159)
Czech0.6%(3,973)
Lithuanian0.5%(3,748)
West Indian0.5%(3,432)
Romanian0.4%(2,991)
Danish0.4%(2,948)
Austrian0.4%(2,881)
Arab0.4%(2,798)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(2,681)
Finnish0.3%(2,351)
British0.3%(2,044)
Welsh0.3%(1,902)
Croatian0.2%(1,717)
French Canadian0.2%(1,687)
Slovak0.2%(1,525)
Swiss0.2%(1,319)
Serbian0.2%(1,277)
Canadian0.2%(1,268)
Jamaican0.2%(1,179)
Slovene0.2%(1,110)
Nigerian0.2%(1,091)
Belgian0.1%(1,061)
Iranian0.1%(1,034)
Armenian0.1%(944)
Bulgarian0.1%(919)
Portuguese0.1%(885)
Brazilian0.1%(840)
Latvian0.1%(634)
Egyptian0.1%(589)
Haitian0.1%(480)
Turkish0.1%(466)
Israeli0.1%(422)
Lebanese0.1%(367)
Australian0%(327)
Ghanaian0%(264)
Moroccan0%(196)
Jordanian0%(195)
Kenyan0%(150)
Syrian0%(127)
Macedonian0%(109)
Iraqi0%(99)
Guyanese0%(94)
Barbadian0%(41)
Ethiopian0%(25)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
47.7%
+9.1 ptssince 2000
from 38.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
90.6%
+4.0 ptssince 2000
from 86.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
20.1%
+5.6 ptssince 2000
from 14.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
28.5 min
+29%since 2000
from 22.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
65.7%
−11.5 ptssince 2009
from 77.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.5%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 9.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
2.7%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
19.5%
+14.1 ptssince 2009
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.1%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.2%
−3.4 ptssince 2011
from 8.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
68.2%
−3.2 ptssince 2011
from 71.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
77.4%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 76.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
11.2%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
48.1%
+7.5 ptssince 2009
from 40.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.3%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.2% in 2009
Female
49.7%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.8% in 2009
Foreign born
19.8%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 17.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
4.7%
−3.3 ptssince 2009
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
9.8%
+2.3 ptssince 2012
from 7.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
6.9%
−4.4 ptssince 2013
from 11.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
94.3%
+7.4 ptssince 2017
from 86.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
97.2%
+2.1 ptssince 2020
from 95.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
88.4%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 87.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
68.6%
−3.5 ptssince 2016
from 72.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
19.0%
+2.0 ptssince 2016
from 16.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married35.2%(102,538)
Married55.5%(161,684)
Widowed2.3%(6,569)
Divorced7%(20,342)
Women 15+
Never married29.3%(84,942)
Married53.7%(155,682)
Widowed6.9%(20,131)
Divorced10%(28,926)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
6.9%
−4.4 ptssince 2013
from 11.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
63.5%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 64.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 13.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
16.2%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 14.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
14.5%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 13.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.5%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 1.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
74.7%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 76.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
29.4%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 27.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

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, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)30.2%(7,586)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)21.5%(5,391)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era31.1%(7,818)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.3%(831)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.5%(368)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 25,130 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time

Lake County, decade by decade

Lake County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
1990516,418$110,516$326,64932.0%36.3
2000644,356$122,002$349,02938.6%54.3
2010703,462$113,572$413,30141.3%65.8
2020714,342$112,300$329,31146.1%75.4
2024714,223$110,416$345,70047.7%76.2

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

Drill deeper

Places similar to Lake County

Will County
Pop 712,253
District of Columbia
Pop 693,645
Williamson County
Pop 752,827
Johnson County
Pop 636,906
Places similar to Lake County
Head to head

Compare Lake County to nearby counties

LAKE COUNTY VS
Cook County
Income$83,498−24%
Home value$324,500−6%
Population5,194,625+622%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKE COUNTY VS
DuPage County
Income$112,096+2%
Home value$391,400+13%
Population934,298+30%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKE COUNTY VS
Kenosha County
Income$81,239−26%
Home value$265,500−23%
Population168,448−77%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKE COUNTY VS
McHenry County
Income$104,802−5%
Home value$308,100−11%
Population317,751−56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Lake County, Illinois?

Lake County, Illinois has about 714,223 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Lake County, Illinois earns about $110,416 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Lake County, Illinois expensive?

In Lake County, Illinois, the median home is worth about $345,700, and the typical rent is about $1,477 a month.

How educated are people in Lake County, Illinois?

About 47.7% of adults age 25 and over in Lake County, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Lake County, Illinois?

About 8.3% of people in Lake County, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.

Has Lake County, Illinois grown since 1990?

Yes, Lake County, Illinois has grown since 1990. The population has added about 197,805 residents, a change of about 38 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 →