Lake County, Illinois Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 3rd-largest in Illinois

The population of Lake County, Illinois is 711,885 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 3rd-largest county in Illinois. The median household income is $108,917, the median home value is $326,600, and the median age is 38.9.

The population of Lake County has grown 2.0% since 2010 (704,179 → 718,604), a +0.14% annualized rate.

Lake County within Illinois · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

711,885

Population

+0.14%

Annual growth

1605

People / sq mi

$108,917

Median Income

$326,600

Median Home Value

Lake County covers 444 sq mi of land at 1604.5 people per square mile.

About Lake County, IL

Lake County is a county in Illinois with a population of 711,885. It ranks #3 among counties in Illinois by population. The median age is 38.9, in line with the national median. The population is 50.3% male and 49.7% female.

The median household income in Lake County is $108,917, above the US median of $74,580. 5.4% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $326,600, with monthly rent averaging $1,434. The homeownership rate of 74.4% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Lake County reflects 47.0% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 17.3% of workers primarily work from home, noticeably above the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 28.8 minutes each way.

Lake County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Lake County had a population of 704,179 in 2010 and 718,604 in 2024, a 2.0% growth over 14 years. The peak was 718,604 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 0.15%.

718,604

Population (2024)

704,179

Population (2010)

718,604

Peak (2024)

0.15%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	704,179	-	-	estimate
2011	701,652	-2,527	-0.36%	estimate
2012	702,117	+465	+0.07%	estimate
2013	704,259	+2,142	+0.31%	estimate
2014	704,359	+100	+0.01%	estimate
2015	704,687	+328	+0.05%	estimate
2016	704,401	-286	-0.04%	estimate
2017	702,825	-1,576	-0.22%	estimate
2018	700,455	-2,370	-0.34%	estimate
2019	697,134	-3,321	-0.47%	estimate
2020	713,426	+16,292	+2.34%	estimate
2021	712,733	-693	-0.10%	estimate
2022	712,143	-590	-0.08%	estimate
2023	714,207	+2,064	+0.29%	estimate
2024	718,604	+4,397	+0.62%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	64.0%
Black or African American	6.6%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.9%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

38.9

Median Age

49.7%

Female

50.3%

Male

15.4%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.4%

5–9

6.6%

10–14

6.9%

15–19

7.8%

20–24

7.0%

25–34

11.3%

35–44

12.8%

45–54

13.3%

55–59

7.0%

60–64

6.5%

65–74

9.3%

75–84

4.3%

85+

1.8%

Children (under 15): 18.9% · Seniors (65+): 15.4%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$108,917+$27,215 vs state
Mean household income	$152,447
Per-capita income	$55,756
Poverty rate	5.4%-2.8% vs state
Unemployment rate	3.4%
Employment-to-population	63.2%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

20.2%

Manufacturing

15.7%

Finance & real estate

14.3%

Education & health care

8.4%

Information

8.1%

Construction

5.0%

Retail trade

4.3%

Arts, entertainment & food

3.8%

The largest employment sector in Lake County is professional & business services, accounting for 20.2% of workers.

How residents commute

2.8%

Drive alone

2.0%

Carpool

68.0%

Public transit

17.3%

Work from home

28.8 min

Avg commute

Housing

$326,600+$76,100 vs state

Median home value

$1,434

Median rent

74.4%

Homeownership rate

270,083

Total housing units

95.0%

Occupied

5.0%

Vacant

25.6%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

93.1%

With health insurance

96.7%

With broadband internet

19.8%

Foreign-born

5.1%

Veterans (18+)

9.9%

With a disability

69.0%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

90.6%

High School+

47.0%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Illinois

Chicago (2,707,648)Aurora (179,867)Joliet (149,785)Naperville (149,424)Rockford (147,649)Elgin (114,106)Springfield (113,714)Peoria (112,126)Waukegan (88,919)Champaign (88,822)All Illinois cities →

Other counties in Illinois

Cook County (5,185,812)DuPage County (927,263)Will County (698,450)Kane County (516,097)McHenry County (311,366)Winnebago County (283,289)Madison County (264,631)St. Clair County (254,777)Champaign County (206,098)Sangamon County (195,217)All Illinois counties →

Part of Illinois

Illinois demographic profile All Illinois data →

Metro areas in Illinois

Chicago (9,359,555)St. Louis (2,809,414)Davenport (381,864)Peoria (365,773)Rockford (336,605)Champaign (236,196)Springfield (207,386)Bloomington (170,882)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Common questions about Lake County, IL

What is the population of Lake County, IL?What is the median household income in Lake County, IL?What is the median home value in Lake County, IL?What are the demographics of Lake County, IL?What is the cost of living in Lake County, IL?Is Lake County, IL growing?

Frequently Asked Questions

Lake County, Illinois has a population of 711,885 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 3rd-largest county in Illinois. Population density is 1605 people per square mile.

The population of Lake County has grown 2.0% since 2010 (704,179 → 718,604), a +0.14% annualized rate.

The median household income in Lake County, Illinois is $108,917, with mean (average) household income of $152,447 and per-capita income of $55,756. 5.4% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Lake County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (64.0%), Black or African American (6.6%), Hispanic or Latino (1.9%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Lake County, Illinois is 38.9 years. Residents are 49.7% female and 50.3% male.

The median home value in Lake County is $326,600 and median monthly rent is $1,434. 74.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 270,083 total housing units, 5.0% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Lake County, Illinois is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 20.2% of workers. The unemployment rate is 3.4%.

Chicago is among the largest cities associated with Lake County, Illinois, with a population of 2,707,648.