© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Lake in the Hills.
About
Life in Lake in the Hills
The housing market is accessible compared to closer-in Chicago suburbs, with median home values around $321,900, though you'll also see homes in the $400,000 to $1,000,000 range in gated communities like Boulder Ridge. However, this is very much a car-dependent suburb where your quality of life depends heavily on which side of Randall Road you land—the East Side has actual character with the original lake neighborhoods and established community feel, while the West Side is newer subdivisions and tract housing built in the 1990s boom. Your commute to Chicago jobs will average about 32 minutes, and while Pace bus service exists on Randall Road, it's supplementary rather than transformative.
Lake in the Hills at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.1%
Foreign-Born
14.7%
Broadband Internet
97.2%
of households
Population Growth
-1.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Lake in the Hills: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Lake in the Hills, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (28.2%), and 13.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.6%
of residents
65 and Older
10.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
46.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
16.2%
of households
Married Couples
63.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.97
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 33% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Lake in the Hills
In Lake in the Hills, rent runs 33% above the IL average, and home values are 22% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$7,430
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
84.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1995
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $378,232 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for IL
Unemployment in Lake in the Hills and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Lake in the Hills is close to the IL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Lake in the Hills 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
Commute32 min avg
How Lake in the Hills residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Lake in the Hills, most residents drive alone to work (71%), and 49% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 26 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 77% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Lake in the Hills runs 77% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
76.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
272.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Lake in the Hills Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 20 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
McHenry County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In McHenry County, which includes Lake in the Hills, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 20 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2023 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 31 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 28 | Drought | None reported |
| 2020 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 11 | Winter Storm | $116,000 |
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
McHenry County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in McHenry County, which includes Lake in the Hills, is typically good — 247 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
247
per year
Moderate Days
105
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
McHenry County, county-wide
Climate82°F summers, 17°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Lake in the Hills has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 17°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/17°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
39.6"
Annual Snowfall
35.1"
Hot Days/Year
22
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
136
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
110
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 14°F | 1.97" |
| Feb | 35°F | 16°F | 1.84" |
| Mar | 47°F | 26°F | 2.51" |
| Apr | 59°F | 37°F | 3.76" |
| May | 71°F | 48°F | 4.98" |
| Jun | 80°F | 58°F | 5.26" |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 3.90" |
| Aug | 82°F | 61°F | 3.81" |
| Sep | 74°F | 52°F | 3.54" |
| Oct | 62°F | 42°F | 3.20" |
| Nov | 48°F | 31°F | 2.48" |
| Dec | 36°F | 20°F | 2.10" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Lake in the Hills
Uninsured
4.2%
of residents
No hospitals inside Lake in the Hills's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Mercyhealth Hospital & Physician Clinic-crystal La
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.1 mi away · Crystal Lake
Advocate Sherman Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.4 mi away · Elgin
Northwestern Medicine Mchenry
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.5 mi away · Mchenry
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.
Education14.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Lake in the Hills
Lake in the Hills's student/teacher ratio is 14.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 35.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
35.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Lake in the Hills (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 708 students · in-state tuition $31,810 · 50% graduate · median earnings $59,095 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 123 students · 57% graduate · median earnings $67,642 (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, 51 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Lake in the Hills
Lake in the Hills has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (51 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
51 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
75 mi awayCities Near Lake in the Hills
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Lake in the Hills?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Lake in the Hills FAQ
Is Lake in the Hills, Illinois affordable?⌄
Lake in the Hills's median rent is $1,689/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $117,151/year. Median home value is $321,900.
Is Lake in the Hills, Illinois safe?⌄
Lake in the Hills's violent crime rate was 77 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 272 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Lake in the Hills, Illinois?⌄
Lake in the Hills has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Lake in the Hills, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Lake in the Hills is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,689/month and median household income is $117,151/year. The median home value is $321,900. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Lake in the Hills, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Lake in the Hills is 32 minutes, which is longer than 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