2023 Best Places to Live in Lake County

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 1,315

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.18 out of 5  17 reviews

Current Resident: I’d say this town is very normal, the things I love are down town long grove and the schools which are full of opportunities. My family moved for a larger house with more space and a good school, this area has both. We live a 5 minute drive away from down town long grove, which has three amazing fun festivals a year which include food and fun with your friends. Also the school district is really good, most/if not all of the students attend Stevenson High school, an amazing school full of great opportunities! I like this area overall, as you can see there are many upsides to living here. However it’s a small town, so I wouldn’t say the area is for everyone, and I’ve always loved the big cities.... Read 17 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 8,258

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 3.97 out of 5  172 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived here my entire life, and I love how there have always been fun activities to do throughout the year provided by the village of Buffalo Grove. Every year for Labor Day weekend, Buffalo Grove Days is hosted, which actually is located a block away from my house which makes it easy for me to walk and meet up with my friends or family. There is great food, games, rides, and live music which all make this weekend one of my favorite weekends of the year. BG also has great public facilities, like the fitness center, golf course, driving range, park district building, schools, and public parks, just to name a few.... Read 172 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 43,062

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.44 out of 5  16 reviews

Current Resident: I love where I live. Sometimes I wish I had sidewalks although as a kid I would bike on my neighborhood roads or bike paths and then by major roads there are usually side walks or ways for getting to places without being too dangerous. I wish there was a bit more diversity and a younger population so kids could have more fun with other kids. Overall a little bike ride to a friends house isn’t that bad and the area is very safe.... Read 16 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 4,093

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.29 out of 5  17 reviews

Current Resident: Lincolnshire is a great community of people with excellent schools. D103, a K-8 district is located in Lincolnshire that is one of the main reason people move here as well as for being a feeder to Stevenson High School. Stevenson High School is the largest public high school in Illinois, and they are only making the school more inviting to students to provide a place of community in and out of the classroom. Lincolnshire also has close access to the tollway for easy transportation to the city, which makes living in the suburbs more reasonable for those with a commute. Sadly there is no downtown of Lincolnshire it is more of home and schools. Which means there is no walking in downtown during the day.... Read 17 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 7,905

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.07 out of 5  132 reviews

Current Resident: I've lived here for most of my life and I'm moving away for college. Vernon Hills really is a safe place if you can afford it- little crime (as far as I know), nice enough people, and generally just a pleasant town. My biggest gripes would be having no town center. I'm jealous of Libertyville lol. You can't do anything without a car, so that makes going out a hassle. It depends where in vernon hills you are, but for me, I can only walk to two parks and maybe a supermarket. Not a lot. Teens don't have a lot of places to go after night events (school dances and performances), so we go to restaurants that are still open. A lot of places have started to just close on us, which is valid, but we don't know where else we can hang out. Another thing is how disconnected we are as a community. Yes people are friendly, but we just kinda co-exist. There'll be neighborhoods who are pretty close, but as far as I know, we don't have a notable community outside of that. again, nice place... Read 132 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 26,723

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 3.98 out of 5  50 reviews

Current Resident: I really like living in Deerfield, although there is definitely not enough diversity. Overall, it's a nice place to live, with good opportunities for students and children. There are many good extracurricular options for students, no matter what their interest is. Local businesses sometimes tend to have struggles staying open for a long time, but the community does a good job at supporting them as they appear.... Read 50 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 19,228

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.18 out of 5  11 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in Riverwoods for seven years now and overall it has been a great experience. Living in the forest has been very peaceful and the community is amazing. Riverwoods has some of the prettiest homes and an amazing connection to nature. I have been very satisfied with my time living here but if there would be any changes it would be expanding the services provided. Often times we need to go to the neighboring towns for schools, public libraries, etc. Otherwise Riverwoods is a great place to live.... Read 11 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 3,742

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.08 out of 5  63 reviews

Current Resident: Highland Park is a great town with a diverse group of individuals who are there for one another. There are always different events in the community that are appropriate for every age group. There is something to do from strolling down to the lake to grabbing delicious food downtown Highland Park!... Read 63 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 30,245

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.04 out of 5  121 reviews

Current Resident: Libertyville is a wonderful community, full of great people who make up this town. Libertyville has a great downtown. It has so many different shows and restaurants available for people of all ages to explore. It also has a wonderful high school, with some of the most educated teachers in the area. This great high school is fed by multiple middle schools, including Highland Middle School, Oak Grove Middle School, and religious schools, such as St. Joesph Catholic School. Other students come from Vernon Hills schools, or from other nearby towns. Along with the great school system are the amazing opportunities for recreational activities. Water activities are made possible by Butler Lake and Independence Grove. You can explore the nature of the area through Old School Forest Preserve or Independence Grove. These opportunities provided me with ample activities to do on any given day. I loved growing up in this town, and I will visit, once I move on with the next chapter of my life.... Read 121 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 20,616

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 3.56 out of 5  9 reviews

Current Resident: Probably the friendliest and most scenic Village in Illinois. Beautiful lakes & beach island. Tons of social events. Great police force, no violent crime. Elite school district. Lots of environmental preservation projects. Local government runs on a shoestring using mostly volunteers.... Read 9 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 1,340

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.38 out of 5  21 reviews

Current Resident: I’ve lived in Hawthorn Woods for 22 years. It’s very safe and beautiful. It is close to stores, schools, restaurants, forest preserves, etc. I love Hawthorn Woods!... Read 21 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 8,959

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 3.83 out of 5  65 reviews

Other: Friendly people that are always out for helping each other, great community and barely any conflict since there are always ways to communicate with people.... Read 65 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 19,450

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 2,814

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.1 out of 5  20 reviews

Current Resident: I love our family beautiful friendly beach town on Lake Michigan! Lake Bluff motto is “All are welcome here”. Lots of activities for young, middle age and older people. Great restaurants, Summer town block parties and town activities all year tound!... Read 20 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 5,878

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.2 out of 5  125 reviews

Current Resident: Grayslake is a great place for new families! As a current resident, Grayslake has lots to offer for children and adults alike. The school systems in the area are some of the best in Lake County and there are many activities for children to do such as dance, martial arts, and sports clubs. As for adults, the downtown area is perfect for the weekends with its updated bars and restaurants. The community also provides holiday celebrations year-round.... Read 125 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 20,827

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4 out of 5  7 reviews

Current Resident: Very diverse, schools are great. Plenty of things for everyone to do! Not too far from the city. But far enough where you can feel a little bit like being in the country or not!... Read 7 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Population 5,506

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.5 out of 5  6 reviews

Current Resident: Lake Barrington is a good place to be if you are looking for more nature and taking walks outside. This being said, it takes a long time to get to other areas because of it being further out so commute times are relatively long.... Read 6 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 5,557

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Current Resident: Its pretty chill, we don't know what to label ourselves cause of these wild boundary lines, but you know slay.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 1,137

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.75 out of 5  4 reviews

Current Resident: Great place to live. Great schools, good access to shopping and entertainment. People are friendly and anxious to be good neighbors. Plenty of work opportunities and access to transportation including rail to Chicago.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 3,638

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 3.93 out of 5  178 reviews

Current Resident: I moved to Gurnee when I was young and have been living here since. My experience was great! The schools in Gurnee are great and I had a great experience in Highschool. The population diversity is pretty average, so it would be nice to see more different cultures in my community, but I can see that we are slowly reaching that goal. Living here is nice but it can get pretty expensive. Rent for apartments is pretty high, even for one-room apartments. I think that should change. As for commuting, Gurnee is close to many highways so commuting to school and work is easy. Of course, there are normal traffic jams in the morning and afternoon since people are usually on their way to work. Gurnee also offers many average restaurants, different stores, and many fast food options. It also has many forms of entertainment too, such as Six Flags, Marcus Cinema, Gurnee Mills, and more. There is always something to do where you can hang out with friends or with family.... Read 178 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 30,826

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 4.09 out of 5  82 reviews

Nearby Resident: Lake Zurich, this quaint suburb situated in the northern region of Illinois, is a hidden gem with a stunning lakefront and a hospitable community. The village provides an exceptional standard of living, with top-rated schools, a variety of housing options, and convenient access to shopping and entertainment. For those who love the outdoors, there are endless possibilities, from indulging in the scenic views and water sports on the lake to exploring the numerous parks and forest reserves nearby. The village hosts several community events, including the highly anticipated annual Alpine Fest and farmers' market. To sum it up, Lake Zurich is the ultimate spot for anyone looking to experience a peaceful and family-centric lifestyle.... Read 82 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 19,807

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 1,719

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

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  Rating 3.74 out of 5  148 reviews

Current Resident: As a member of Mundelein, I am very proud of our community. I am a competitive cheerleader for our high school and I adore our community nights and the parades during homecoming week! Everyone is incredibly involved and it is amazing to see so many families at these events!... Read 148 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 31,596

• Suburb of Chicago, IL

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 1,476