The Town FilesRound Lake, Illinois
Village in Lake County · population 18,721 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $278,600
- Household income
- $111,977
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 36.1
Round Lake is a village of 18,721 people in Lake County, Illinois. The median home is worth $278,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 95% of Illinois towns, better transit than 81% of Illinois towns, more upscale than 74% of Illinois towns.
How Round 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 Round Lake is worth $278,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $111,977, which is more affordable than 38% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,710 a month. 77.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Round Lake | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $278,600 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,710 | $960 |
| Median household income | $111,977 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 77.2% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 2003 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Round Lake
| People | Round Lake | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.9% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 28.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.5% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 2.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 24.6% | — |
| Work from home | 17.8% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 31.3 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.1% | 90.4% |
Weather in Round Lake
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 13.5°F. About 38.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.1 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 140 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Round Lake since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 21, 1967 about 8.5 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 8 deaths and 174 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 75 times; the largest was 2.25 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 Round Lake itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.
Public schools in Round Lake
8 public schools with 3,815 students, about 12.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round Lake Senior High School | 9-12 | 2,226 | 14.4 |
| Magee Middle School | 6-8 | 638 | 10.3 |
| Park East School | K-4 | 331 | 12.7 |
| Village Elementary School | 1-5 | 321 | 11.1 |
| Park West School | 5-8 | 299 | 12.0 |
| Round Lake Transition Center | 12-12 | — | — |
| Round Lake ALOP | 6-12 | — | — |
| Early Childhood Facility | PK-PK | — | — |
Towns near Round Lake
- Round Lake Park, IL1.1 mi · 7,680 people · home $164,900
- Hainesville, IL1.5 mi · 3,546 people · home $210,500
- Long Lake, IL2.4 mi · 3,663 people · home $220,100
- Round Lake Heights, IL2.9 mi · 2,622 people · home $216,800
- Round Lake Beach, IL2.9 mi · 27,252 people · home $199,200
- Volo, IL3.0 mi · 6,122 people · home $319,700
- Grayslake, IL3.5 mi · 21,248 people · home $309,500
- Wauconda, IL4.9 mi · 14,084 people · home $278,600
Round Lake questions
Is Round Lake, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Round Lake scores better for retirees than 18% of Illinois towns and quieter than 23%. 8.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.1).
How much does a house cost in Round Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Round Lake is valued at $278,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $111,977, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $1,710 a month.
What is the weather like in Round Lake?
July highs average 82.1°F and January lows 13.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.5 inches of precipitation a year and 43.1 inches of snow.
Does Round Lake get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Round Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 21, 1967. 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)