The Town FilesFox Lake, Illinois
Village in Lake County · population 10,978 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $228,100
- Household income
- $70,819
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 42.9
Fox Lake is a village of 10,978 people in Lake County, Illinois. The median home is worth $228,100, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for a vacation home than 97% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 90% of Illinois towns, hipper than 83% of Illinois towns.
How Fox Lake ranks
Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fox Lake is worth $228,100, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $70,819, which is more affordable than 17% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,047 a month. 67.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fox Lake | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $228,100 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,047 | $960 |
| Median household income | $70,819 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 67.9% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.8% | — |
Who lives in Fox Lake
| People | Fox Lake | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.1% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 16.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.1% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.9% | — |
| Work from home | 12.7% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 33.8 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.6% | 90.4% |
Weather in Fox Lake
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 14.6°F. About 37.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.4 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 132 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fox Lake since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 18, 1997 about 6.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 1 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 77 times; the largest was 2.90 inches on May 2, 2018.
Severe weather in Lake County since 1996
Lake County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| May 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| June 24, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1771: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lake County
Lake County had 329,354 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $91,042 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Fox Lake itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Fox Lake
2 public schools with 2,085 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grant Community High School | 9-12 | 1,814 | 15.1 |
| Stanton School | 5-8 | 271 | 9.0 |
Towns near Fox Lake
- Pistakee Highlands, IL2.2 mi · 3,237 people · home $216,800
- Fox Lake Hills, IL3.1 mi · 2,684 people · home $245,000
- Spring Grove, IL3.3 mi · 5,487 people · home $398,400
- Johnsburg, IL4.5 mi · 6,355 people · home $328,300
- Long Lake, IL4.8 mi · 3,663 people · home $220,100
- Round Lake Heights, IL5.0 mi · 2,622 people · home $216,800
- Lake Villa, IL5.2 mi · 8,741 people · home $351,700
- Round Lake Beach, IL6.1 mi · 27,252 people · home $199,200
Fox Lake questions
Is Fox Lake, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fox Lake scores better for retirees than 32% of Illinois towns and quieter than 32%. 21.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.9).
How much does a house cost in Fox Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Fox Lake is valued at $228,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,819, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,047 a month.
What is the weather like in Fox Lake?
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 14.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.8 inches of precipitation a year and 43.4 inches of snow.
Does Fox Lake get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fox Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 18, 1997. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)