What are the schools like in Clear Lake, IL?

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

What is the median household income in Clear Lake?

The median household income in Clear Lake, IL is $55,625 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 21.5%.

What is the weather like in Clear Lake, IL?

Clear Lake has an average high temperature of 35.8°F in January and 85.5°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 39.6 inches and annual snowfall averages 20.6 inches.

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

Q: Is Clear Lake, IL affordable or expensive?

Clear Lake's cost of living index is 90, where 100 represents the national average. This means Clear Lake is 10% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $87,700 and the median rent is $850 per month.

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

Clear Lake has a violent crime rate of 540.4 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 2963.4 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Clear Lake, IL a Good Place to Live?

Clear Lake is a small town of 316 in Illinois, with a median household income of $55,625 and a 21.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is 10% below the national average.

Strengths: Clear Lake stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Clear Lake is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Clear 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: 90.5

Clear Lake's overall cost of living index is 90.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Clear Lake costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.

Metric	Clear Lake, IL	National Avg
Median Home Value	$87,700	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$850	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	85.9%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$55,625	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Higher than Average

Clear Lake's violent crime rate is 540.4 per 100,000 residents — 42% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

540.4 /100k

Property Crime

2963.4 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Metric	Clear 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	7.3%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	94.4%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Clear Lake sees average highs of 35.8°F in January and 85.5°F in July, with 39.6 inches of annual precipitation and 20.6 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Clear Lake, IL
Average High — January	35.8°F
Average High — July	85.5°F
Annual Precipitation	39.6"
Annual Snowfall	20.6"

Demographics

Metric	Clear Lake, IL	National Avg
Population	316	—
Median Age	36.2	38.9
Unemployment Rate	21.5%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	16.8 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	88.3%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.0%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	9.2%	18.9%
Asian	0.0%	6.3%
Under 18	19.0%	22.2%
65 and over	13.0%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Grandview, IL 3 mi Riverton, IL 3 mi Spaulding, IL 4 mi Springfield, IL 4 mi Rochester, IL 5 mi

Clear Lake vs Other Cities

Clear Lake, IL vs Grandview, IL Clear Lake, IL vs Riverton, IL Clear Lake, IL vs Spaulding, IL Clear Lake, IL vs Springfield, IL Clear Lake, IL vs Rochester, IL

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Clear Lake, IL affordable or expensive?

Clear Lake's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average. That makes Clear Lake roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $87,700 and median rent is $850/month.

What is the crime rate in Clear Lake, IL?

Clear Lake's violent crime rate is 540.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2963.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Clear Lake?

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

Is Clear Lake, IL a good place to live?

Clear Lake, IL has a population of 316, a median household income of $55,625, and an unemployment rate of 21.5%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. 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 Clear Lake?

Clear Lake averages 35.8°F in January and 85.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 39.6 inches with about 20.6 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What is the population of Clear Lake?

The population of Clear Lake, Illinois is 316 with a median age of 36.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

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

Key numbers for living in Clear Lake: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $87,700, median household income $55,625, crime index 142 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Clear Lake side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.