The Town FilesWauconda, Illinois
Village in Lake County · population 14,084 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $278,600
- Household income
- $111,239
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 36.6
Wauconda is a village of 14,084 people in Lake County, Illinois. The median home is worth $278,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks more of a college town than 87% of Illinois towns, better for young professionals than 86% of Illinois towns, more upscale than 84% of Illinois towns.
How Wauconda 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 Wauconda is worth $278,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $111,239, which is more affordable than 38% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,371 a month. 76.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wauconda | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $278,600 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,371 | $960 |
| Median household income | $111,239 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 76.0% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Wauconda
| People | Wauconda | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.6 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.3% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 28.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.2% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 3.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.3% | — |
| Work from home | 15.2% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 31.3 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.9% | 90.4% |
Weather in Wauconda
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
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wauconda since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 21, 1967 about 6.3 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 8 deaths and 177 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 82 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 12, 2014.
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 Wauconda itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Wauconda
5 public schools with 3,215 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wauconda High School | 9-12 | 1,480 | 16.4 |
| Robert Crown School | K-5 | 817 | 13.8 |
| Wauconda Middle School | 6-8 | 505 | 12.0 |
| Wauconda Grade School | PK-5 | 413 | 9.4 |
| Wauconda CUSD 118 ALOP | 9-10 | — | — |
Towns near Wauconda
- Island Lake, IL3.3 mi · 8,051 people · home $262,500
- Volo, IL3.9 mi · 6,122 people · home $319,700
- Hawthorn Woods, IL4.5 mi · 9,062 people · home $619,100
- North Barrington, IL4.9 mi · 3,171 people · home $765,900
- Round Lake, IL4.9 mi · 18,721 people · home $278,600
- Lake Barrington, IL4.9 mi · 5,100 people · home $475,700
- Hainesville, IL5.2 mi · 3,546 people · home $210,500
- Round Lake Park, IL5.2 mi · 7,680 people · home $164,900
Wauconda questions
Is Wauconda, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wauconda scores better for retirees than 50% of Illinois towns and quieter than 28%. 11.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.6).
How much does a house cost in Wauconda?
The median owner-occupied home in Wauconda is valued at $278,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $111,239, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $1,371 a month.
What is the weather like in Wauconda?
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 Wauconda get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wauconda 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)