Lake County, IL Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Lake County, Illinois is about $373,000 (the 2026 median across 26 ZIP codes, at ~$220/sq ft) — 89% more expensive than the Illinois median and 29% more expensive than the typical U.S. home.
How Lake County compares
Lake County is about average for housing nationally: its typical home costs $373,000 against $197,000 for Illinois and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $224,000 to $1,231,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Lake County | $373,000 | $220 |
| Illinois | $197,000 | $134 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Lake County home prices by ZIP code
The 15 most valuable ZIP codes in Lake County (of 26 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60045 Lake Forest | $1,231,000 | $430 | +230% |
| 60035 Highland Park | $802,000 | $327 | +115% |
| 60015 Deerfield | $730,000 | $335 | +96% |
| 60069 Lincolnshire | $700,000 | $268 | +88% |
| 60044 Lake Bluff | $676,000 | $328 | +81% |
| 60047 Kildeer | $663,000 | $263 | +78% |
| 60048 Libertyville | $628,000 | $280 | +68% |
| 60040 Highwood | $498,000 | $367 | +34% |
| 60061 Vernon Hills | $457,000 | $259 | +23% |
| 60089 Buffalo Grove | $444,000 | $251 | +19% |
| 60060 Mundelein | $391,000 | $239 | +5% |
| 60083 Wadsworth | $390,000 | $185 | +5% |
| 60031 Gurnee | $379,000 | $199 | +2% |
| 60084 Wauconda | $367,000 | $212 | -2% |
| 60046 Lindenhurst | $362,000 | $212 | -3% |
Home value appreciation in Lake County
Home prices in Lake County have risen about 66% over the last 10 years (≈5.2% a year) and +36.5% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +6.7% — still rising. A home worth $373,000 today was worth roughly $224,428 ten years ago.
See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, Illinois is +64.6% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.
Calculators for Lake County
Run the numbers for Lake County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Lake County
To buy the typical $373,000 home in Lake County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $101,000 a year (about $2,370 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $121,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $18,700 | $2,940/mo | $126,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $37,300 | $2,810/mo | $121,000/yr |
| 20% | $74,600 | $2,370/mo | $101,000/yr |
Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.
What your budget buys in Lake County
At about $220 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Lake County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $200k | 910 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $250k | 1140 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $300k | 1360 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $400k | 1820 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $500k | 2270 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to Illinois.
Estimate a specific home in Lake County
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Lake County home prices: frequently asked
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Browse all Illinois cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.
Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.