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Living in
Beach Park.
About
Life in Beach Park
Living in Beach Park means trading big-city intensity for a quieter Lake County life that's still connected to the Chicago metro area. This village of roughly 14,000 sits along Lake Michigan's shoreline, and while Illinois Beach State Park and North Point Marina (the largest freshwater marina in the country) are genuine community assets, they're really just the backdrop to everyday life here—not what makes people stay. The community skews family-oriented with about 52% married couples and roughly a third of households raising kids, which shapes everything from the school district to weekend rhythms.
Beach Park at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
43.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.5%
Foreign-Born
24.0%
Broadband Internet
94.0%
of households
Population Growth
-1.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics24.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Beach Park: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Beach Park, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (59.0%), and 37.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.5%
of residents
65 and Older
18.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
25.9%
of households
Married Couples
50.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.74
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for IL
Rent, home values, and income in Beach Park
In Beach Park, home values are 7% below the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
52.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
14.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$6,445
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
86.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1986
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $307,123 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for IL
Unemployment in Beach Park and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Lake County, which includes Beach Park, is close to the IL average.
Unemployment rate
Beach Park: Lake County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Lake County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Beach Park is about 2% of Lake County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Beach Park Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metro area
Commute27.7 min avg
How Beach Park residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Beach Park, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 63% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 31 mi
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Major hub40.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 78% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Lake County Sheriff's Office, which covers Beach Park, runs 78% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
72.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
382.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Lake County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 17 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Lake County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Lake County, which includes Beach Park, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 17 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 16 | Hail | None reported |
| 2022 | 30 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 24 | Drought | None reported |
| 2020 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 26 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2018 | 19 | Flood | $70,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Lake County, county-wide
Beach Park is about 2% of Lake County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Lake County, which includes Beach Park, is typically good.
Median AQI
39
Lake County, county-wide
Beach Park is about 2% of Lake County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate79°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Beach Park has mild summers (avg high 79°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
55°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
79°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
35.3"
Annual Snowfall
36.2"
Hot Days/Year
9
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
132
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
129
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 16°F | 1.41" |
| Feb | 34°F | 18°F | 1.52" |
| Mar | 44°F | 27°F | 2.22" |
| Apr | 56°F | 36°F | 3.77" |
| May | 67°F | 46°F | 3.92" |
| Jun | 77°F | 56°F | 4.45" |
| Jul | 81°F | 62°F | 3.48" |
| Aug | 80°F | 61°F | 3.59" |
| Sep | 73°F | 54°F | 3.57" |
| Oct | 61°F | 43°F | 3.25" |
| Nov | 48°F | 31°F | 2.26" |
| Dec | 36°F | 22°F | 1.86" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Beach Park
Uninsured
9.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Beach Park's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Midwestern Region Med Center, Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.3 mi away · Zion
Vista Medical Center East
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.6 mi away · Waukegan
Lake Behavioral Hospital
Psychiatric · 4.6 mi away · Waukegan
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Beach Park
Beach Park's student/teacher ratio is 13.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 19.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
19.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Beach Park (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,660 students · in-state tuition $41,000 · 62% graduate · median earnings $59,594 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,813 students · in-state tuition $58,902 · 76% graduate · median earnings $70,470 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 522 students · in-state tuition $13,820 · 59% graduate · median earnings $44,255 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pullman National Historical Park, 52 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Beach Park
Beach Park has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (52 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
52 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
67 mi awayCities Near Beach Park
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Beach Park?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Beach Park FAQ
Is Beach Park, Illinois affordable?⌄
Beach Park's median rent is $1,254/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $85,664/year. Median home value is $245,800.
Is Beach Park, Illinois safe?⌄
Beach Park is policed by the Lake County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 73 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 383 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Beach Park, Illinois?⌄
Lake County, which includes Beach Park, has an unemployment rate of 4.7%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Beach Park, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Beach Park is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,254/month and median household income is $85,664/year. The median home value is $245,800. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Beach Park, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Beach Park is 28 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from