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Cost of living, pay and housing

42.48° N · 88.15° W · GEOID 1712489

Channel Lake

Lake County, Illinois · part of the Chicago, IL metro

Limited data population under 5,000

IllinoisChannel Lake, ILChannel LakeChannel Lake

The short answer

Channel Lake is home to 2,052 people. Median household income is $68,250 a year and median rent is $1,584 a month, 27.9% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is moderate. The median home is valued at $223,000, about 3.3x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$1,584
16% above the median place
Median household income
$68,250
15% below the median place
Median home value
$223,000
30% below the median place
Unemployment
5.2%
6% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Channel Lake

  • 75% of renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent, a higher share than in 96% of the 2,214 places under 10,000 people we track.
  • The median rent takes 27.9% of the median household's income, a bigger share than in 91% of places its size.
  • 23.1% of residents live below the poverty line, more than in 87% of places its size.
  • After the median rent, and with prices for everything else adjusted to the US average, the median household has about $48,300 a year left, less than in 80% of places its size.
  • 23% of workers mostly work from home, more than in 84% of places its size.
01

Moving to Channel Lake

Lake County loses about 5.1 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in26,531
Moved out29,677
Net−3,146

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Illinois, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within IllinoisOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$134K
Leavers$120K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Lake County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
6.4% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.9% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Lake County report $134,400 a year in income on average; those leaving, $120,100, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$63,400 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,584 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,827 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $223,000.
Getting to work
27 minutes each way on average; 23.1% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Crest Hill, IL matches it on character. Compare the two
Income of households moving in7
$134,445
90% above the median place
Income of households moving out7
$120,068
71% above the median place
Moved from another state1
2.9%
46% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureChannel LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure6.4%11% above
Moved from another state1County figure2.9%46% above
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure-5.1below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$134,44590% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$120,06871% above
02

What it costs to live here

Renters paying 30%+ is 75.3%, 49% above the median place.

Channel Lake27.9%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$63,360
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
27.9%
37% above the median place
Home price to income
3.3x
14% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
28%
just under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$48,100
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Channel Lake, $1,584 a month, and local prices for everything else (101.9 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Channel Lake, but easier on the budget

Close matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income.

PlaceRent to incomeMore left a year
Millersville, TN24.7% vs 27.9%$8,800Compare
Butner, NC21.0% vs 27.9%n/aCompare
Thousand Palms, CA23.3% vs 27.9%$9,700Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Channel Lake.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Channel Lake? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Renters paying 30%+1
75.3%
49% above the median place
Property tax rate1
2.4%
163% above the median place
Homeownership1
81.2%
22% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureChannel LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,58416% above
Rent to income127.9%37% above
Property tax rate12.4%163% above
Home price to income13.3x14% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure103.63% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$2,01125% above
HUD area median income4County figure$121,50013% above
Property tax paid (median)1$5,33063% above
Median home value1$223,00030% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure6.7%111% above
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure54.1%5% above
Homeownership181.2%22% above
Renters paying 30%+175.3%49% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,8272% below
Vacant homes1County figure4.5%36% below
Median year built119641% below
03

Work and pay

Commutes by transit is 0.0%, below the median place (median 0.8%).

Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Poverty rate1
23.1%
115% above the median place
Works from home1
23.1%
85% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Income per person$34,597 −14%
Median household income$68,250 −15%
Mean commute27 min +8%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureChannel LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$68,25015% below
Income per person1$34,59714% below
Unemployment1County figure5.2%6% above
Average annual pay6County figure$92,73341% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure1.9%49% below
Jobs6County figure325,826116% above
Poverty rate123.1%115% above
Mean commute127 min8% above
Works from home123.1%85% above
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

High school or higher is 96.7%, 5% above the median place.

High school or higher1
96.7%
5% above the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
24.8%
23% below the median place
Homes with broadband1
90.2%
2% below the median place
All 8 people measures
MeasureChannel LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population12,0526646th largest
Median age139.41% above
Bachelor's or higher124.8%23% below
High school or higher196.7%5% above
Household size12.63% above
Born abroad1County figure19.8%125% above
No health insurance1County figure6.9%8% above
Homes with broadband190.2%2% below
05

Life in Channel Lake

96 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks.

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents19.5 +92%
Playgrounds per 10k0.0 −100%
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k9.8 −13%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars21.5 +3%
Shops29.4 −3%
Arts, recreation and fitness5.9 +44%
Doctors' offices and clinics24.7 +22%
Child care centers3.4 +48%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Public schools11
211
above the median place (median 9)
Public school students11
117,662
above the median place (median 4,897)
Child care centers per 10k8
3.4
48% above the median place
All 16 schools and local life measures
MeasureChannel LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure211above (median 9)
Public school students11County figure117,662above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher11County figure12.916% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure21.53% above
Shops per 10k8County figure29.43% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure5.944% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure24.722% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure3.448% above
Parks per 10k919.592% above
Playgrounds per 10k90.0below (median 9.4)
Grocery stores per 10k90.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k99.813% below
Libraries per 10k90.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails90.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi90.0below (median 0.2)
National Register listings10County figure96above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

Tornado risk is 98.9, 21% above the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Channel Lake. Larger places are fetched first.

Tornado risk13
98.9
21% above the median place
January average low12
16°F
38% below the median place
Hurricane risk13
18.2
74% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureChannel LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure83°F5% below
January average low12County figure16°F38% below
Average temperature12County figure49°F11% below
Annual precipitation12County figure36.8 in16% below
Natural hazard risk13County figure96.04% above
Hurricane risk13County figure18.274% below
Tornado risk13County figure98.921% above
Wildfire risk13County figure44.927% below
Heat wave risk13County figure92.53% above
Median air quality index14County figure399% below
Good air days14County figure84.8%24% above
08

Channel Lake in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 28% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 28% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,584/mo (2024)$2,050/mo$1,680 to $2,490/mo+4.4%
Median household income$68,250 (2024)$87,000$73,500 to $103,000+4.2%
Median home value$223,000 (2024)$311,000$226,000 to $429,000+5.7%

The median home would be worth 3.6 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.3 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Channel Lake

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Crest Hill, IL$1,481$73,033Compare
Odenville, AL$1,581$70,296Compare
La Marque, TX$1,443$71,102Compare
Gonzales, LA$1,497$75,451Compare
Gonzales, LALa Marque, TXOdenville, ALCrest Hill, ILChannel Lake, ILChannel LakeCrest HillOdenvilleLa MarqueGonzalesChannel LakeCrest HillOdenvilleLa MarqueGonzales

Common questions

Is Channel Lake a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. 75% of renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent, a higher share than in 96% of the 2,214 places under 10,000 people we track. The median rent takes 27.9% of the median household's income, a bigger share than in 91% of places its size. On cost, space and class size it scores 39 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Channel Lake expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 27.9% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $223,000.

What salary do you need to live in Channel Lake?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $63,360 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Channel Lake?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Crest Hill, IL, Odenville, AL, La Marque, TX and Gonzales, LA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  12. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  13. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  14. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Channel Lake with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Channel Lake itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/channel-lake-illinois

Citytistics. “Channel Lake, Illinois.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/channel-lake-illinois/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.