In Lake Bluff, a typical home is worth $776,700 and typical rent is $2,063 a month. Compared with all of Lake County, the typical home value is 125% higher, typical household income is 85% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 17 points higher.
Typical home value from Zillow, September 2021 to September 2026: from $462,032 to $674,980.
Typical rent
$2,058a month
Typical rent from Zillow, December 2025 to September 2026: from $1,985 to $2,058.
From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).
Lake Bluff is in Lake County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Lake County. See the county
What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.
1
The typical household income in Lake Bluff is $204,000,85% more than in Lake County as a whole ($110,416).
2
The typical home in Lake Bluff is worth $776,700,125% more than in Lake County as a whole ($345,700).
3
Nearby, in North Chicago, the typical home value is $159,600: 79% less than in Lake Bluff ($776,700).
4
Nearby, in Park City, the typical rent is $1,110: 46% less than in Lake Bluff ($2,063).
5
The typical rent in Lake Bluff is $2,063 a month, 40% more than in Lake County as a whole ($1,477).
6
92% of households in Lake Bluff own their home, against 75% in Lake County.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).
The homes here
Housing in Lake Bluff
What homes there are in Lake Bluff, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).
What homes there are
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Kind of home
Detached houseAttached houseBuilding of 2 to 4Apartments (5 or more)Mobile homeBoat, RV and otherUnreliable estimate
Lake Bluff
Lake County
Illinois
United States
Kind of home: Lake Bluff and its comparisons
Measure
Lake Bluff
Lake County
Illinois
United States
Detached house
94%
67%
58%
61%
Attached house
Unreliable estimate
10%
6%
6%
Building of 2 to 4
Unreliable estimate
6%
12%
8%
Apartments (5 or more)
Unreliable estimate
16%
22%
19%
Mobile home
Unreliable estimate
2%
2%
6%
Boat, RV and other
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
0%
0%
In Lake Bluff, 9 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Lake County, 7.
Year built
Before 19601960–19791980–19992000–20092010 or laterUnreliable estimate
Lake Bluff
Lake County
Illinois
United States
Year built: Lake Bluff and its comparisons
Measure
Lake Bluff
Lake County
Illinois
United States
Before 1960
22%
21%
38%
26%
1960–1979
28%
25%
26%
24%
1980–1999
35%
33%
20%
25%
2000–2009
6%
15%
11%
14%
2010 or later
Unreliable estimate
6%
6%
11%
Homes in Lake Bluff are bigger: 93% have 3 bedrooms or more; in Lake County, 68%.
What it costs here
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Value of owner-occupied homes
Unreliable estimate
Under $100KUnreliable
$100K–$200KUnreliable
$200K–$300KUnreliable
$300K–$500K20%
$500K–$750K25%
$750K–$1M26%
$1M or more26%
Value of owner-occupied homes: Lake Bluff and its comparisons
Measure
Lake Bluff
Under $100K
Unreliable estimate
$100K–$200K
Unreliable estimate
$200K–$300K
Unreliable estimate
$300K–$500K
20%
$500K–$750K
25%
$750K–$1M
26%
$1M or more
26%
Monthly rent with utilities
Unreliable estimate
Under $500Unreliable
$500–$999Unreliable
$1,000–$1,499Unreliable
$1,500–$1,99944%
$2,000–$2,499Unreliable
$2,500–$2,999Unreliable
$3,000 or moreUnreliable
Monthly rent with utilities: Lake Bluff and its comparisons
Measure
Lake Bluff
Under $500
Unreliable
$500–$999
Unreliable
$1,000–$1,499
Unreliable estimate
$1,500–$1,999
44%
$2,000–$2,499
Unreliable estimate
$2,500–$2,999
Unreliable
$3,000 or more
Unreliable estimate
With a mortgage
$3,771 a month
Lake County: $2,503 a month
Owners with a mortgage
62%
Lake County: 64%
How it changed
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
Change since 2015–2019
Typical home value
Lake Bluff+21%
Lake County+30%
Illinois+35%
United States+53%
Typical rent
Lake BluffUnreliable
Lake County+23%
Illinois+26%
United States+33%
Typical household income
Lake BluffNo clear change
Lake County+24%
Illinois+27%
United States+29%
Change since 2015–2019: Lake Bluff and its comparisons
Measure
Lake Bluff
Lake County
Illinois
United States
Typical home value
+21%
+30%
+35%
+53%
Typical rent
Unreliable estimate
+23%
+26%
+33%
Typical household income
No clear change
+24%
+27%
+29%
Homes in Lake Bluff gained value more slowly than in Lake County: 21% since 2015–2019, against 30%.
How people live
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
How people live: Lake Bluff and its comparisons
Measure
Lake Bluff
Lake County
Illinois
United States
Rental vacancy
Unreliable estimate
3.7%
5.0%
5.5%
Homeowner vacancy
Unreliable estimate
0.9%
1.0%
0.9%
More than one person per room
Unreliable estimate
2.9%
2.5%
3.4%
People per household
2.73
2.69
2.46
2.53
Drive alone
51%
66%
66%
69%
Carpool
6%
9%
8%
9%
Public transit
Unreliable estimate
3%
6%
3%
Walk or bike
Unreliable estimate
2%
3%
3%
Work from home
34%
20%
16%
15%
Other means
Unreliable estimate
1%
1%
2%
Typical commute
Unreliable estimate
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
Much as in Lake County, a household in Lake Bluff has 2.73 people on average.
Working from home is more common in Lake Bluff: 34%, against 20% in Lake County.
Do the math
What would you pay each month for a home in Lake Bluff?
A typical home costs more than the typical income allows
We start with a typical home in Lake Bluff, worth $776,700, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 39% of the typical household income in Lake Bluff, which is $204,000 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $285,790 a year. Note: at that price the loan is above the FHA limit for Lake County ($541,287), so FHA would not insure it; the payment is only a reference.
The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Lake County.
Change the price, the down payment or the loan: the payment updates right away.
Your numbers
Local data
$
Starts at the typical home value in Lake Bluff. Change it to the price you have in mind.
Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.
Down payment
%
That is $27,185 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.
This week's average ± a quarter or half point.
National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.
Adjust advanced details⌄
Estimated monthly payment
Local data
$6,668
at 7.18% · 30 years
Loan amount
$762,632
Total interest
$1,097,248
Paid off in
November 2056
Includes $13,117 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.
Does it fit the income?
Comfortable
up to $4,760 a month
Tight
$4,760 to $6,120 a month
Hard
more than $6,120 a month
Your payment · 39%
Compared with the typical household income in Lake Bluff ($204,000 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.
Monthly payment breakdown
Principal & interest
$5,166
Property tax
$835
Home insurance
$324
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)
$344
This loan is over the FHA limit
You'd borrow $749,515, but the FHA limit for a one-unit home in Lake Bluff is $541,287. You'd need a bigger down payment or a different loan.
You need at least $27,185 for the down payment, plus closing costs.
This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.
Total monthly payment $6,668; principal and interest $5,166.
The city and its county
Lake Bluff and Lake County
Lake Bluff is in Lake County, Illinois. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).
Lake Bluff
Map of Lake County, Illinois, with Lake Bluff marked. Around it, the neighboring counties.
Lake Bluff
Lake County
Other cities with a page
Lake Bluff's own numbers
Typical home value
$776,700
Typical monthly rent
$2,063
Typical yearly household income
$204,000
Households that own their home
92%
Effective property tax rate
1.29%
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).
Numbers for all of Lake County
FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,011
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+54%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2%
HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.
Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Lake County.
A typical home in Lake Bluff is worth $776,700: 125% above the county and 195% above Illinois. With the typical household income in Lake Bluff ($204,000 a year), a typical home costs 3.8 times what the household earns in a year.
Years of income to pay for a typical home
The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.
Lake Bluff3.8 years
Lake3.1 years
Illinois3.2 years
United States4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024
How prices have changed in Lake County
According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Lake County rose 66% in the 10 years through 2025.
FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Lake County.
Yearly change in FHFA’s price index in Lake County, 2016 to 2025
2016: +2.3% +2.3% 2016
2017: +1.8% +1.8% 2017
2018: +1.3% +1.3% 2018
2019: +1.9% +1.9% 2019
2020: +0.5% +0.5% 2020
2021: +8.3% +8.3% 2021
2022: +13.8% +13.8% 2022
2023: +9.0% +9.0% 2023
2024: +7.6% +7.6% 2024
2025: +6.7% +6.7% 2025
Change in FHFA’s price index in Lake County, Illinois and the United States
Period
County
Illinois
U.S.
Last year (2025)
+6.7%
+5.7%
+2.9%
5 years (2020–2025)
+54%
+47%
+47%
10 years (2015–2025)
+66%
+65%
+85%
The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data
Lake Bluff next to Lake County, Illinois and the U.S.
Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.
Typical home value
Lake Bluff$776,700
Lake$345,700
Illinois$263,300
United States$332,700
Typical monthly rent
Lake Bluff$2,063
Lake$1,477
Illinois$1,274
United States$1,413
Typical yearly household income
Lake Bluff$204,000
Lake$110,416
Illinois$83,390
United States$80,734
See the full table
Lake Bluff next to Lake County and Illinois
Measure
Lake Bluff
Lake County
Illinois
U.S.
Typical home value
$776,700 ▲125% above the county
$345,700
$263,300
$332,700
Typical monthly rent
$2,063 ▲40% above the county
$1,477
$1,274
$1,413
Typical yearly household income
$204,000 ▲85% above the county
$110,416
$83,390
$80,734
Households that own their home
92% ▲17 points above the county
75%
67%
65%
Typical yearly property tax
$10,001 ▲12% above the county
$8,923
$5,298
$3,119
Effective property tax rate
1.29% ▼1.29 points below the county
2.58%
2.01%
0.94%
“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Lake County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Lake Bluff
For a typical $776,700 home in Lake Bluff, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Lake Bluff's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.
FHA, 3.5% down$6,668a month
Above the FHA limit for Lake County ($541,287)
Down payment
$27,185
Cash to close
$50,486
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
FHA MIP · $344
Conventional, 5% down$6,526a month
Least cash to close
Down payment
$38,835
Cash to close
$62,136
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
PMI · $369
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI$5,368a month
Down payment
$155,340
Cash to close
$178,641
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
ITIN, 15% down (example)$6,086a month
Down payment
$116,505
Cash to close
$139,806
Rate
8.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Lake Bluff
Loan
Monthly payment
Down payment
Loan amount
Rate
Mortgage insurance
Cash to close
Minimum score
FHA, 3.5% down Above the FHA limit for Lake County ($541,287)
$6,668
$27,185
$762,632
7.18%
FHA MIP · $344
$50,486
580
Conventional, 5% down Least cash to close
$6,526
$38,835
$737,865
7.18%
PMI · $369
$62,136
620*
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI
$5,368
$155,340
$621,360
7.18%
None
$178,641
620*
ITIN, 15% down (example)
$6,086
$116,505
$660,195
8.18%
None
$139,806
Set by the lender
The option that asks for the least cash to close is Conventional, 5% down.
Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.
Typical rent in Lake Bluff is $2,063 a month: 40% above the county.
HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Lake County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($2,011 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $38.67 an hour working full time.
What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.
HUD fair market rent in Lake County (Fiscal year 2027)
Size
Fair rent a month
Hourly wage
Yearly income
Studio
$1,678
$32.27
$67,120
1 bedroom
$1,780
$34.23
$71,200
2 bedrooms
$2,011
$38.67
$80,440
3 bedrooms
$2,586
$49.73
$103,440
4 bedrooms
$2,954
$56.81
$118,160
Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027
By ZIP code
Fair market rent by ZIP code in Lake Bluff
HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Lake Bluff is in ZIP code 60044.
For 2 bedrooms it is $2,280: $269 more than the fair market rent for Lake County ($2,011).
Fair market rent by ZIP code and size in Lake Bluff, fiscal year 2027.
ZIP code
Studio
1 bd
2 bd
3 bd
4 bd
60044
$1,900
$2,020
$2,280
$2,930
$3,350
ZIP code2 bd3 bd
60044 $2,280$2,930
1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Lake Bluff when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD)Fiscal year 2027Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship fileData from 2020 dataCensus Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (external site)
You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.
There are 2 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Lake County; 1 says it serves in Spanish.
No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Lake Bluff or Lake County. The ones below are statewide in Illinois: they work in Lake Bluff the same as in the rest of the state.
IHDA second loan with no payments until you sell or refinance, for the down payment in Illinois.Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).
No legal help resource on our list is for Lake Bluff or Lake County in particular.
If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.
Short answers with the numbers for Lake Bluff and all of Lake County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.
How much does a typical home cost in Lake Bluff?
The typical home value in Lake Bluff is $776,700, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Lake County it is $345,700.
How much does it cost to rent in Lake Bluff?
Typical rent in Lake Bluff is $2,063 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Lake County is $2,011.
What is the FHA loan limit in Lake Bluff?
Lake Bluff uses the FHA limit for all of Lake County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.
How much property tax do owners pay in Lake Bluff?
The typical homeowner in Lake Bluff pays $10,001 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.29% of the home’s value; in Lake County, the rate is 2.58%.
Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Lake Bluff?
There are 2 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Lake County. 1 says it serves in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.
