Is Lake County, IL good for real estate investing?

Lake County has an investment score of 69/100, rated as "Buy". The county ranks #211 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Lake?

The rent-to-price ratio in Lake County is 6.67% annually, which ranks in the 70th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Lake?

The median home price in Lake County is $374,727. This ranks #882 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Lake?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Lake County would generate negative cash flow of $610/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Lake County

IllinoisPopulation: 713,159Chicago, IL Metro

/100

Buy

#211 of 1,000 counties

#66 in Illinois (102 counties)

Market Snapshot

$374,727

Median Home Price

64% above national median

$2,083/mo

Median Rent

53% above national median

6.67%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 30% nationally

-$610

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Trend based on YoY growth rate. Source: Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$374,727

Down Payment (20%)$74,945

Loan Amount$299,782

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,083

Monthly P&I-$1,964

Est. Expenses (35%)-$729

Net Cash Flow-$610/mo

4.3%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-8.5%

Cash-on-Cash Return

6.67%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.3% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

69/100

Cash Flow(30%)

67/100

Based on 6.67% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

86/100

Based on 5.1% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

76/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.6x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Above-average rent-to-price ratio (6.67%)
+Strong price appreciation (+5.1% YoY)
+Affordable relative to local incomes
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$610/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 4.3% < mortgage rate 6.9%)

Economic Indicators

Population

713,159

Median Income

$104,553

vs $51,665 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

3.6x

Moderately affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
JacksonIL	71	$121,998	$689	6.77%	Buy	View
LeeIL	70	$176,055	$912	6.22%	Buy	View
CurrentLakeIL	69	$374,727	$2,083	6.67%	Buy
FultonIL	69	$98,740	Est. pending	—	Buy	View
AdamsIL	68	$174,680	$981	6.74%	Buy	View
StephensonIL	68	$152,376	$737	5.80%	Buy	View

The Bottom Line

BuyLake offers solid investment potential with good cash flow or appreciation prospects.

Lake County in Illinois scores 69/100, ranking #211 of 1,000 US counties (top 21%). The 6.67% rent-to-price ratio indicates moderate cash flow potential. Current market conditions make traditional buy-and-hold investing challenging. Consider house hacking, value-add strategies, or all-cash purchases.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-610/mo

Cap Rate

4.3%

Cash-on-Cash

-8.5%

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Lake?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties.

Single Family1-4 unit rentals, BRRRR House HackOwner-occupied strategy Multifamily5+ unit properties

Explore Other Markets

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$374,727

Down Payment (20%)$74,945

Loan Amount$299,782

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$2,083

Monthly P&I-$1,964

Est. Expenses (35%)-$729

Net Cash Flow-$610/mo

4.3%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-8.5%

Cash-on-Cash Return

6.67%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.3% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

69/100

Cash Flow(30%)

67/100

Based on 6.67% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

86/100

Based on 5.1% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

76/100

Price-to-income ratio of 3.6x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

County

Verdict

JacksonIL

$121,998

$689

6.77%

Buy

View

LeeIL

$176,055

$912

6.22%

Buy

View

CurrentLakeIL

$374,727

$2,083

6.67%

Buy

FultonIL

$98,740

Est. pending

—

Buy

View

AdamsIL

$174,680

$981

6.74%

Buy

View

StephensonIL

$152,376

$737

5.80%

Buy

View

The Bottom Line

BuyLake offers solid investment potential with good cash flow or appreciation prospects.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-610/mo

Cap Rate

4.3%

Cash-on-Cash

-8.5%