What are the schools like in Channel Lake, IL?

School district data for Channel Lake is sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

What is the median household income in Channel Lake?

The median household income in Channel Lake, IL is $57,930 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 1.3%.

What is the weather like in Channel Lake, IL?

Channel Lake has an average high temperature of 29.8°F in January and 82.2°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 40.2 inches and annual snowfall averages 43.4 inches.

Channel Lake, IL Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Channel Lake, IL affordable or expensive?

Channel Lake's cost of living index is 103, where 100 represents the national average. This means Channel Lake is 3% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $199,500 and the median rent is $1,462 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Channel Lake, IL?

Channel Lake has a violent crime rate of 116.6 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 769.4 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Channel Lake, IL a Good Place to Live?

Channel Lake is a small town of 1,784 in Illinois, with a median household income of $57,930 and a 1.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 103 (US average = 100), which is 3% above the national average.

Strengths: Channel Lake stands out for below-average home prices.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether Channel Lake is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Channel Lake city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 102.6

Channel Lake's overall cost of living index is 102.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Channel Lake costs roughly 3% more than the average American city.

Metric	Channel Lake, IL	National Avg
Median Home Value	$199,500	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,462	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	77.3%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$57,930	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Channel Lake's violent crime rate is 116.6 per 100,000 residents — 69% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

116.6 /100k

Property Crime

769.4 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric	Channel Lake, IL	National Avg
School District	N/A	—
Elementary Schools	N/A	—
Middle Schools	N/A	—
High Schools	N/A	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	N/A	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	19.3%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	93.9%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Channel Lake sees average highs of 29.8°F in January and 82.2°F in July, with 40.2 inches of annual precipitation and 43.4 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Channel Lake, IL
Average High — January	29.8°F
Average High — July	82.2°F
Annual Precipitation	40.2"
Annual Snowfall	43.4"

Demographics

Metric	Channel Lake, IL	National Avg
Population	1,784	—
Median Age	33.9	38.9
Unemployment Rate	1.3%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	34.6 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	92.8%	59.3%
Black or African American	1.0%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	2.8%	18.9%
Asian	0.0%	6.3%
Under 18	25.6%	22.2%
65 and over	16.2%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Lake Catherine, IL 1 mi Salem Lakes, WI 4 mi Antioch, IL 4 mi Fox Lake, IL 4 mi Fox Lake Hills, IL 5 mi

Channel Lake vs Other Cities

Channel Lake, IL vs Lake Catherine, IL Channel Lake, IL vs Salem Lakes, WI Channel Lake, IL vs Antioch, IL Channel Lake, IL vs Fox Lake, IL Channel Lake, IL vs Fox Lake Hills, IL

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Channel Lake, IL affordable or expensive?

Channel Lake's cost of living index is 103, where 100 is the national average. That puts Channel Lake roughly 3% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $199,500 and median rent is $1,462/month.

What is the crime rate in Channel Lake, IL?

Channel Lake's violent crime rate is 116.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 769.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Channel Lake?

School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.

Is Channel Lake, IL a good place to live?

Channel Lake, IL has a population of 1,784, a median household income of $57,930, and an unemployment rate of 1.3%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Channel Lake?

Channel Lake averages 29.8°F in January and 82.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 40.2 inches with about 43.4 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What is the population of Channel Lake?

The population of Channel Lake, Illinois is 1,784 with a median age of 33.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Channel Lake?

Key numbers for living in Channel Lake: cost of living index 103 (100 = US average), median home $199,500, median household income $57,930, crime index 33 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Channel Lake side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.