Lake County, Illinois Income Statistics
Lake County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
Lake County Around averageAmong the top 5 wealthiest counties in Illinois
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lake County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $111,219 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $75,775 | $64,565 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.1% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 21.2% | 15.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 24.1% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lake County is about 32% higher than in Illinois. Income has been growing slower in Lake County (4.1%/yr) than in Illinois (4.5%/yr).
About 21% of adults in Lake County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Illinois average of 15%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Lake County, Illinois grew by 41.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $111,219 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lake County
| Metric | Lake County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.548 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $87,049 | $73,933 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $68,966 | $60,067 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.8% | 18.8% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Lake County, it is 0.548, about the same as Illinois's 0.547, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 26% more than women's income in Lake County, Illinois. Over a 35-year career, a 26% wage gap accumulates to roughly $632,905 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lake County, Illinois has narrowed from about 30% to 21% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $690 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Lake County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 19.5% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 25 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 19,539 people are unemployed in Lake County, Illinois.
The average commute time in Lake County is 25 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in Illinois.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lake County, Illinois has fallen from 8.4% to 5.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.3% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.9% in 2022.
Lake County, IL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lake County, IL is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 714,026 residents against a local median of 925,807. The measure that sets Lake County, IL apart most is median household income: $111,219, 36% above the local median of $81,631. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread $47,200 on median household income, so Lake County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lake County, IL has the 2nd highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County, IL | 714,026 | $111,219 #2/6 | 4.1%/yr #4/6 | 5.0% #5/6 | 0.548 #5/6 |
| Kenosha County, WI | 168,436 | $81,631 | 4.8%/yr | 4.4% | 0.514 |
| Cook County, IL | 5,180,889 | $84,208 | 4.9%/yr | 7.0% | 0.555 |
| Racine County, WI | 197,532 | $78,183 | 4.1%/yr | 4.4% | 0.505 |
| DuPage County, IL | 929,812 | $112,172 | 4.0%/yr | 4.9% | 0.533 |
| Milwaukee County, WI | 925,807 | $64,972 | 4.6%/yr | 4.8% | 0.525 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lake County, Illinois has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Illinois, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Lake County, Illinois.
How Rich Is Lake County, Illinois?
Lake County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $111,219, about 32% higher than the Illinois average of $84,042.
Are incomes growing in Lake County, Illinois?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lake County, Illinois rose 41%, from $78,748 to $111,219. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Illinois as a whole: +41% against +52%.
What was the median household income in Lake County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lake County, Illinois was $109,394, up 5% from $104,671 in 2022. The Illinois median that year was $82,182.
What was the median household income in Lake County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lake County, Illinois was $92,774. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $111,219.
Do many residents of Lake County, Illinois earn over $100,000?
Yes. 21% of adults in Lake County, Illinois earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 5), against 15% (about 1 in 7) in Illinois. 24% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 14% in Illinois.
What is the Gini coefficient in Lake County, Illinois?
The Gini coefficient in Lake County is 0.548. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Lake County, Illinois?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lake County, Illinois has narrowed from about 30% to 21% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $690 since 2009.
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