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Living in
Round Lake.
About
Life in Round Lake
This northern suburb sits about 55 miles northwest of Chicago's Loop, making it a solid choice if you want affordable suburban living without completely cutting ties to the city. The median household income here is just about $112,000 with a median home value around $278,600—reasonable compared to closer-in Chicago suburbs—and rent averages $1,710 monthly, giving you options whether you're buying or leasing. The commute is real though: plan for about 31 minutes on average, though the Metra Milwaukee District North Line does connect directly to Union Station if you're willing to trade driving for rail, plus Pace bus service keeps you connected to Fox Lake and Grayslake.
Round Lake at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.0%
Foreign-Born
24.6%
Broadband Internet
98.1%
of households
Population Growth
-1.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics24.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Round Lake: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Round Lake, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (42.8%), and 26.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
28.2%
of residents
65 and Older
8.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
39.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
23.3%
of households
Married Couples
57.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.90
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 34% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Round Lake
In Round Lake, rent runs 34% above the IL average, and home values are 6% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
53.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
30.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$7,860
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
77.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2003
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $328,884 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for IL
Unemployment in Round Lake and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Lake County, which includes Round Lake, is close to the IL average.
Unemployment rate
Round Lake: Lake County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Lake County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Round Lake is about 3% of Lake County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Round Lake 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
Commute31.3 min avg
How Round Lake residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Round Lake, most residents drive alone to work (68%), and 47% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 28 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 74% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Round Lake runs 74% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
85.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
413
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Round Lake 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 Round Lake, 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
Round Lake is about 3% 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 Round Lake, is typically good.
Median AQI
39
Lake County, county-wide
Round Lake is about 3% of Lake County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate80°F summers, 16°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Round Lake has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and very cold winters (avg low 16°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
56°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
32°/16°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
38.2"
Annual Snowfall
43.1"
Hot Days/Year
11
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
140
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
128
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°F | 14°F | 1.76" |
| Feb | 33°F | 16°F | 1.93" |
| Mar | 44°F | 26°F | 2.49" |
| Apr | 57°F | 36°F | 3.95" |
| May | 68°F | 47°F | 4.57" |
| Jun | 78°F | 58°F | 4.38" |
| Jul | 82°F | 62°F | 4.01" |
| Aug | 81°F | 61°F | 4.19" |
| Sep | 74°F | 53°F | 3.38" |
| Oct | 61°F | 42°F | 3.20" |
| Nov | 47°F | 30°F | 2.47" |
| Dec | 34°F | 20°F | 2.12" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Round Lake
Uninsured
4.2%
of residents
No hospitals inside Round Lake's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Northwestern Medicine Mchenry
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.9 mi away · Mchenry
Advocate Condell Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.2 mi away · Libertyville
Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.6 mi away · Barrington
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.
Education12.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Round Lake
Round Lake's student/teacher ratio is 12.8:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 41.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
41.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pullman National Historical Park, 52 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Round Lake
Round Lake 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
71 mi awayPublic Libraries in Round Lake
Round Lake Area Public Library District
906 Hart Road, Round Lake
Cities Near Round Lake
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Round Lake?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Round Lake FAQ
Is Round Lake, Illinois affordable?⌄
Round Lake's median rent is $1,710/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $111,977/year. Median home value is $278,600.
Is Round Lake, Illinois safe?⌄
Round Lake's violent crime rate was 86 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 413 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Round Lake, Illinois?⌄
Lake County, which includes Round Lake, has an unemployment rate of 4.7%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Round Lake, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Round Lake is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,710/month and median household income is $111,977/year. The median home value is $278,600. About 54% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Round Lake, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Round Lake is 31 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