Lake Forest, IL

Census place 1741105 · pop 19,416

D59/ 100
😐 Meh
B
in IL
📍 Illinois ranks #39 of 50 states →
🏆 Income$235,081 · top 1%
🚽 Rent$5,084/mo · bottom 1%
Taxes
1.07% property · US 0.99%8.96% sales · US 7.00%4.95% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Rent$5,084/mo1

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$5,084/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Housing cost$938,3004

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$938,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Commute time31 min12

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

31 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Income inequality0.4819

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.48 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.5%21

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level5 days36

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

5 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level94/10036

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

94/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Population growth (5yr)+1.3%38

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

+1.3% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Property-tax burden1.07%45

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.07% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Air quality (AQI)County-level40 AQI68

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

40 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property crime rate635/100k78

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

635 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Broadband access95.4%81

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

95.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Adult obesity27.8%84

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

27.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Violent crime rate21/100k90

U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities

21 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Poverty rate3.5%94

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

3.5% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Homeownership88.8%95

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

88.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Uninsured adults3.8%98

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

3.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Adult smoking6.4%98

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

6.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Poor mental health11.6%98

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

11.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Physical inactivity13.5%99

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

13.5% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Bachelor's degree or higher80.5%99

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

80.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Median household income$235,08199

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$235,081 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Frequently asked

Is Lake Forest, IL a good place to live?
By the numbers, Lake Forest scores 59/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is median household income and its weakest is rent. Illinois overall ranks #39 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Lake Forest, IL?
Lake Forest reports 21 violent crimes per 100k and 635 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Lake Forest, IL expensive to live in?
Lake Forest has a median home value of $938,300 and typical rent around $5,084/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Lake Forest, IL?
Its weakest measured area is rent ($5,084/mo) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Lake Forest, IL best at?
Its strongest measured area is median household income ($235,081) — 99/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.