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IL area data

Lake Forest, IL

Lake Forest, IL.

Population: 21,074 (Census ACS)

The typical home value in Lake Forest, IL is $1.21M — up 10.7% over the past year. Homes sell for a median $1.40M after a median 49 days on market. Typical rent runs $4,668/month. 7 schools serve the area (NCES). FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall natural-hazard risk Relatively High, with cold wave, strong wind, tornado the top-rated hazards. Cost of living is at the US average (BEA, metro/state-level).

Backed by 25+ public sourcesFEMA · U.S. Census · NOAA · Dept. of Education · EPA · and more

$1.21M

Typical home value

+10.7%

1-year change

49

Median days on market

Relatively High

Hazard risk (county)

Home values & appreciation

Typical home value
$1.21M
1-year appreciation
+10.7%
3-year appreciation
+25.1%
5-year appreciation
+45.9%
10-year appreciation
+47.3%
Peak value since 2000 (Aug 2026)
$1.21M
House Price Index (state)
340.3 (+5.5% YoY)

Sources: home value index (ZIP-level) · FHFA House Price Index (state-level)

Market activity

Median sale price
$1.40M
Median list price
$1.40M
Median price per sqft
$404
1-year sale-price change
+8.4%
Median days on market
49 days
Homes sold (recent period)
93
For-sale inventory
87
Sale-to-list ratio
100.7%
Active listings
86
1-year forecast
+3.5%
Days to pending
31 days
New listings (monthly)
31

Source: recent area sales and market data (ZIP-level)

Rents

Typical rent
$4,668/mo
Studio fair-market rent
$1,678/mo
1BR fair-market rent
$1,780/mo
2BR fair-market rent
$2,011/mo
3BR fair-market rent
$2,586/mo
4BR fair-market rent
$2,954/mo

Sources: market rent index (ZIP-level) · HUD Fair Market Rents (metro/county-level, 40th-percentile regulatory reference)

Affordability

Cost of living index (Above Average)
100.0 (100 = US avg)
Electricity rate (state-level)
17.7¢/kWh
Natural gas rate (state-level)
$11.30/MCF
30-year mortgage rate (national)
7.40%
15-year mortgage rate (national)
6.73%

Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities (metro/state-level) · EIA energy rates (state-level) · Freddie Mac PMMS (national)

Schools

Total schools
7
Elementary schools
4
Middle schools
2
High schools
1
Avg student-teacher ratio
10.0 : 1
School districts serving the area
Lake Forest SD 67, Lake Forest CHSD 115, Rondout SD 72
Schools include
Cherokee Elem School, Deer Path Middle Sch West, Everett Elem School, Sheridan Elem School, Deer Path Middle Sch East

Source: NCES school directory, 2024-25 (school-address-based)

Natural hazards & flood risk

Overall hazard risk (county)
Relatively High
Top hazards (county)
cold wave, strong wind, tornado, inland flooding, lightning
Notable hazard ratings (county)
tornado: Very High · cold wave: Very High · strong wind: Very High · lightning: Relatively High · inland flooding: Relatively High · hail: Relatively Moderate
Most common flood zone among NFIP claims
Zone X
NFIP flood claims on record
42
Wildfire risk to homes (county)
Higher than 22% of US counties
Buildings in wildfire direct-exposure zone
19.5%
Radon potential (county)
Moderate radon potential — EPA Zone 2 of 3
EPA Superfund (NPL) sites within 5 mi
None
Nearest Superfund site
Outboard Marine Corp. (9.2 mi)
Flood zones vary by property. Look up a specific address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
EPA recommends radon testing for every home regardless of zone.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (county-level) · FEMA NFIP flood-insurance claims (ZIP-level) · USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (county-level) · EPA radon zones + Superfund NPL

Climate (30-year normals)

Average annual temperature
50.0°F
Average high
59.0°F
Average low
40.0°F
Annual precipitation
33.2 in
Annual snowfall
26.3 in
USDA plant hardiness zone
6a (extreme annual low -10 to -5°F)

Sources: NOAA Climate Normals (30-year, nearest-station) · USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)

Air quality

Air quality rating
Good
Median AQI (annual)
39
Days with Good air quality
196
Days with Moderate air quality
32
Highest AQI recorded (year)
108

Source: EPA annual air quality index (county-level)

Walkability & transit

Walkability index
5.3 / 20
Transit service frequency
-99,999
Jobs reachable by car (30 min)
161,897
Jobs reachable by transit (45 min)
132,778

Source: EPA Smart Location Database (metropolitan block groups)

Amenities

National parks within ~60 mi
2
Nearest national park
Pullman National Historical Park (40 mi)
National parks include
Pullman National Historical Park, Indiana Dunes National Park
Airports within 30 mi
24
Nearest airport
Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) (9 mi)
Nearest major airport
Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) (9 mi)
Hospitals in or near this ZIP
1
Hospitals include
NORTHWESTERN LAKE FOREST HOSPITAL
Avg hospital rating (CMS)
5.0 / 5
Best hospital rating nearby (CMS)
5.0 / 5
EV charging stations (within 10 mi)
130
Solar radiation rating
Fair (3.9 kWh/m²/day)

Sources: National Park Service · FAA airport data · CMS hospital data (same ZIP, else within ~40 mi) · DOE/NREL (proximity-based)

Migration

Net migration (county)
-2,667 tax filers

Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration (county-level; published with a multi-year lag)

Housing stock

Median year housing built
1977
Housing built before 1970
40.7%
Housing built 2000 or later
18.6%
Median annual property tax
$10,001
Mean commute to work
22 min
Households with broadband internet
89.0%

Source: Census ACS 5-year estimates (ZIP-level)

Employment & development

Total county employment
285,312
Average weekly wage
$1,834
Top industries (by employment)
Health Care, Accommodation & Food, Administrative Services
Annual residential building permits (county)
1,468

Sources: BLS QCEW (county-level) · Census Building Permits (county-level)

How it compares

Lake ForestState medianUS median
Typical home value$1.21M$194,869$288,527
Median sale price$1.40M$212,000$325,000
Median days on market49 days48 days51 days
Typical rent$4,668/mo$1,787/mo$1,809/mo
Median annual property tax$10,001$2,696$2,006

State and US medians are computed across all US ZIP codes with sufficient public-data coverage, from the same sources as the figures above.

Area data compiled from public government, academic, and industry research feeds. Data sources →

Common questions

What is the typical home value in Lake Forest, IL?
$1.21M.
What is the median sale price in Lake Forest, IL?
$1.40M.
How long do homes take to sell in Lake Forest, IL?
Median days on market: 49 days.
What is typical rent in Lake Forest, IL?
Typical rent: $4,668/month.
What is the natural-hazard risk in Lake Forest, IL?
Overall risk: Relatively High (FEMA NRI, county-level). Top hazards: cold wave, strong wind, tornado, inland flooding, lightning.
Is Lake Forest, IL in a flood zone?
Flood zones vary by property within Lake Forest, IL. 42 FEMA flood-insurance (NFIP) claims are on record; the most common zone among them is X. Check a specific address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.
What is the wildfire risk in Lake Forest, IL?
Risk to homes is higher than 22% of US counties (USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities, county-level).
What is the radon potential in Lake Forest, IL?
Moderate radon potential — EPA Zone 2 of 3, county-level. EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone.
Are there Superfund sites near Lake Forest, IL?
No current or proposed National Priorities List sites within 5 miles (EPA).
How many schools serve Lake Forest, IL?
7 schools (4 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high) (NCES, 2024-25).
Is Lake Forest, IL walkable?
Walkability index: 5.3/20 (EPA Smart Location Database).
What is the air quality in Lake Forest, IL?
Good. Median AQI: 39. (EPA AQI).
What is the cost of living in Lake Forest, IL?
Regional Price Parity: 100.0 (100 = US average) (Above Average) (BEA RPP, metro/state-level).

ZIP code for Lake Forest

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Data last updated

Most recent source refresh: Oct 2026. See all data sources →

Data compiled by REAIGENT7 — AI listing platform for real estate agents