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Living in
Vernon Hills.
About
Life in Vernon Hills
If you're considering Vernon Hills, understand upfront that you're buying into a solid upper-middle-class suburb with good schools and economic stability, not a destination community. The median home price around $412,000 and median rent near $1,903 reflects the affluence here — this is an expensive area, and you'll need to be comfortable with that. The commute to Chicago averages 27 minutes, which is reasonable for the northern suburbs but still a daily reality.
Vernon Hills at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.1%
Foreign-Born
33.6%
Broadband Internet
93.8%
of households
Population Growth
-0.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics33.6% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Vernon Hills: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Vernon Hills, the largest foreign-born group is from India (25.5%), and 9.3% of residents speak Russian/Slavic at home.
Under 18
22.2%
of residents
65 and Older
17.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
26.7%
of households
Married Couples
56.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.43
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 49% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Vernon Hills
In Vernon Hills, rent runs 49% above the IL average, and home values are 57% above the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
45.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
67.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1991
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $455,838 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Vernon Hills and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Vernon Hills is 0.6 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 Vernon 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
Commute26.9 min avg
How Vernon Hills residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Vernon Hills, most residents drive alone to work (61%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 18 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 79% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Vernon Hills runs 79% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
70.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,068.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Vernon Hills 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 Vernon Hills, 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
Vernon Hills 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 Vernon Hills, is typically good.
Median AQI
39
Lake County, county-wide
Vernon Hills is about 4% 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
Vernon Hills 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
38.6"
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 Vernon Hills
Uninsured
4.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Vernon Hills's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Advocate Condell Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 2.8 mi away · Libertyville
Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.2 mi away · Lake Forest
North Chicago VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 7.2 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.
Education11.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Vernon Hills
Vernon Hills's student/teacher ratio is 11.2:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 67.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
13
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
67.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Vernon Hills (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)
Worsham College of Mortuary Science
6.2 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 2-year · 183 students · in-state tuition $20,500 · 88% graduate · median earnings $61,393 (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, 41 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Vernon Hills
Vernon Hills has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (41 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
41 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
61 mi awayPublic Libraries in Vernon Hills
Aspen Drive Library
701 Aspen Drive, Vernon Hills
Cities Near Vernon Hills
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Vernon Hills?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Vernon Hills FAQ
Is Vernon Hills, Illinois affordable?⌄
Vernon Hills's median rent is $1,903/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $121,943/year. Median home value is $412,300.
Is Vernon Hills, Illinois safe?⌄
Vernon Hills's violent crime rate was 70 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 1069 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Vernon Hills, Illinois?⌄
Vernon Hills has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Vernon Hills, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Vernon Hills is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,903/month and median household income is $121,943/year. The median home value is $412,300. About 45% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Vernon Hills, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Vernon Hills 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