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Living in
Gurnee.
About
Life in Gurnee
Gurnee works well if you want suburban convenience without feeling far removed from urban access—you're within reasonable driving distance of both Chicago and Milwaukee. The median household income around $121,000 puts it solidly upper-middle-class, though median home values near $344,000 reflect that financial tier. The job market is stable with unemployment around 4.1%, slightly better than national averages, though the village itself relies heavily on tourism-related employment rather than corporate offices.
Gurnee at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.2%
Foreign-Born
17.0%
Broadband Internet
95.8%
of households
Population Growth
-0.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics17.0% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Gurnee: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Gurnee, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (19.8%), and 11.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.3%
of residents
65 and Older
15.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
25.4%
of households
Married Couples
58.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.59
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 30% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Gurnee
In Gurnee, rent runs 30% above the IL average, and home values are 31% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
52.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$8,491
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
76.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1992
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $381,151 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Gurnee and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Gurnee is 0.5 percentage points lower than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Gurnee 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
Commute27.4 min avg
How Gurnee residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Gurnee, most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 64% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 27 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 63% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Gurnee runs 63% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
121.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,982.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Gurnee Police Department
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 Gurnee, 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
Gurnee is about 4% 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 Gurnee, is typically good.
Median AQI
39
Lake County, county-wide
Gurnee is about 4% 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
Gurnee 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
36.4"
Annual Snowfall
43.4"
Hot Days/Year
11
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
133
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
113
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 Gurnee
Uninsured
2.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Gurnee's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Lake Behavioral Hospital
Psychiatric · 3.8 mi away · Waukegan
Vista Medical Center East
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.5 mi away · Waukegan
North Chicago VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 5.8 mi away · North Chicago
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.
Education11.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Gurnee
Gurnee's student/teacher ratio is 11.8:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 56.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
56.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Gurnee (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,813 students · in-state tuition $58,902 · 76% graduate · median earnings $70,470 (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, 50 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Gurnee
Gurnee has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (50 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
50 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
67 mi awayPublic Libraries in Gurnee
Warren-Newport Public Library District
224 North O'Plaine Road, Gurnee
Cities Near Gurnee
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Gurnee?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Gurnee FAQ
Is Gurnee, Illinois affordable?⌄
Gurnee's median rent is $1,655/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $119,628/year. Median home value is $344,300.
Is Gurnee, Illinois safe?⌄
Gurnee's violent crime rate was 121 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 1982 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Gurnee, Illinois?⌄
Gurnee has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Gurnee, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Gurnee is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,655/month and median household income is $119,628/year. The median home value is $344,300. About 52% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Gurnee, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Gurnee is 27 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