Map the Block › Places › Illinois › Lake County
Lake County, Illinois: crime rate, income and local data
Lake County averaged 1.3 reported violent crimes per 1,000 residents a year in 2021-2025, 57% lower than the Illinois rate (3.0). The median household earns $110,416 and the unemployment rate was 3.8% in August 2026. Population: about 714,223 (Census, 2020-2024).
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Lake County?
Over 2021-2025, the county's police agencies sent the FBI reports of about 915 violent and 5,770 property crimes per year. Per 1,000 residents, the violent-crime rate works out to 1.3: 57% lower than the Illinois rate (3.0), and 65% lower than the national rate (3.7). Burglary, theft and car theft together come to 8.1 per 1,000 residents, compared with 16.0 across Illinois. Most violent crimes here are aggravated assaults (62%). CDC death records show about 27 homicide deaths a year in the county (3.8 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Lake County | Per 1,000 | Illinois per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 915 | 1.3 | 3.0 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 19 | 0.03 | 0.07 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 213 | 0.30 | 0.47 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 120 | 0.17 | 0.86 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 564 | 0.79 | 1.6 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 5,770 | 8.1 | 16.0 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 811 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 4,126 | 5.8 | 11.2 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 833 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (32 agencies; 99% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Lake County?
Median household income is $110,416, 32% higher than the statewide figure ($83,390). Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $345,700, and the median rent is $1,477 a month. 9.4% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 13.8%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 3.8% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 13,929 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Lake County | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 714,223 | 12,694,798 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $110,416 | $83,390 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $345,700 | $263,300 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,477 | $1,274 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 5.2% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 8.3% | 11.8% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 9.4% | 13.8% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 47.7% | 37.8% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 74.8% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 39.1 | 39.0 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 94.3% | 90.8% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 6.9% | 6.9% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Lake County?
Lake County carries a “Relatively High” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. The hazards rated highest here are tornadoes (Very High) and river flooding (Relatively High). The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
4 Superfund sites are on or proposed for EPA's National Priorities List in Lake County: Johns-Manville Corp., Wauconda Sand & Gravel, Yeoman Creek Landfill and H.O.D. Landfill. 1 other site has finished cleanup and been taken off the list. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
High-hazard dams
Lake County has 10 dams classed as high hazard in the National Inventory of Dams. The two tallest are Buffalo Creek Dam (27 ft) and Tullamore Dam (17 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
36 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 150,754 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
No federal major disaster declaration covered Lake County from 2016 through 2025 (COVID-19 excluded). In 2024, 5 of 245 monitored days had an air quality index of “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse (EPA). Of 103 community water systems, 5 had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 2 (moderate). NHTSA counted 50 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 10 pedestrians.
Is there road construction in Lake County?
Lake County had 11 highway work zones in the October 11, 2026 feed from the state DOT (all active that day). Where crews are working: SEB US-14, US-41 and I-94 (Tri-State Tlwy). 2 are on interstates. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Lake County?
Federal school lists show 213 public and 52 private schools in the county. 23 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 63 fire or EMS stations and 34 police or sheriff stations. 2 state parks or recreation areas: Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park and Chain O'Lakes State Park.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Lake County
Gun shops
8 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Lake County, plus 26 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). 2 of them are pawnshops licensed to sell guns. On the ATF list: 5 Star Firearms (Zion), Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World 003 (Gurnee), Caliber Range And Gun Shop (Waukegan), Island Lake Jewelry & Loan INC (Island Lake), Just Target Guns LTD (Libertyville), Todds Pawn Shop (Lake Villa), Vintage Arms (Gages Lake) and Walmart # 5199 (Antioch).
Liquor stores
79 liquor stores are on the map in Lake County: 812 West Liquors, A&N Liquor, A.1 Wine and Spirits (North Chicago), Antioch Fine Wines and Liquor, Big Daddy's Liquor (Waukegan), Binny's Beverage Depot (3 locations), Binny's Beverage Depot (Buffalo Grove), Binny's Beverage Depot (Highland Park) and 69 more. Illinois has no complete public liquor licence list we can use, so this count also draws on OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps and may miss some stores or include closed ones.
Planned Parenthood
One Planned Parenthood health center is on the map in Lake County: Planned Parenthood of Illinois-Waukegan (Waukegan).
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores · Planned Parenthood →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official; partial in some states); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Lake County?
Lake County averaged 915 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 1.3 per 1,000 residents, 57% lower than the Illinois rate (3.0). The property-crime rate was 8.1 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Lake County?
$110,416 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $83,390 for Illinois and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Lake County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 3.8% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 13,929 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Lake County?
Lake County carries a “Relatively High” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. The hazards rated highest here are tornadoes (Very High) and river flooding (Relatively High).
Are there Superfund sites in Lake County?
4 Superfund sites are on or proposed for EPA's National Priorities List in Lake County: Johns-Manville Corp., Wauconda Sand & Gravel, Yeoman Creek Landfill and H.O.D. Landfill. 1 other site has finished cleanup and been taken off the list.
Is there road construction in Lake County right now?
Lake County had 11 highway work zones in the October 11, 2026 feed from the state DOT (all active that day). Where crews are working: SEB US-14, US-41 and I-94 (Tri-State Tlwy). 2 are on interstates.
How many nursing homes are in Lake County?
23 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Lake County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cook County | 5,182,090 | 3.8 | $83,498 |
| Kenosha County, WI | 168,438 | 3.0 | $81,239 |
| McHenry County | 312,591 | 0.67 | $104,802 |
Cities in Lake County with their own page: Waukegan.
More: Illinois statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
Home · Open the map · All places · About the data · Privacy · Terms