What it's like to live in Round Lake
Round Lake is a small city in Illinois with home prices that remain within reach, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Round Lake deals with rent well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and cold, harsh winters.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Above-average commute times
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 43" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Round Lake compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Round Lake
Based on Round Lake's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,420
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $68,400 a year
- 54% of Round Lake renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$55,720
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $27,860
- Homes cost 2.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 21% above US
$1,710/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,710 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $278,600. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $278,600 · 54% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Lake County is 4.7%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Lake County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 74% below US
86 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 413/100k · Round Lake Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 20% above US
31 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 31.3 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 18% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 16°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 15% above US
42% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 42% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Pullman National Historical Park (52 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Round Lake's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($1,710/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (18% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Round Lake
All Illinois guides →Moving to Round Lake Beach →
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Rent $1,543/mo · Income $86,059
Compare with Round Lake →Moving to Grayslake →
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Compare with Round Lake →Moving to Wauconda →
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Compare with Round Lake →Moving to Gages Lake →
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Compare with Round Lake →Not sure Round Lake is the one?
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