Is Fox Lake, IL a Good Place to Live?
Fox Lake is a small city of 10,798 in Illinois, with a median household income of $65,528 and a 3.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 103 (US average = 100), which is 3% above the national average.
Strengths: Fox Lake stands out for below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B).
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether Fox Lake is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Fox 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: 102.6Fox Lake's overall cost of living index is 102.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Fox Lake costs roughly 3% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Fox Lake, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $211,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,041 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.4% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $65,528 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageFox Lake's violent crime rate is 251.2 per 100,000 residents — 34% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Fox Lake is served primarily by Big Hollow SD 38. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Fox Lake, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Big Hollow SD 38 | — |
| Elementary Schools | 2 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 12.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 89.6% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Fox 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 | Fox Lake, IL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 29.8°F |
| Average High — July | 82.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 43.4" |
Demographics
| Metric | Fox Lake, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,798 | — |
| Median Age | 47.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 36.4 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 83.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 2.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.9% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 15.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 23.6% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Fox Lake
Fox Lake, IL is covered by 2 ZIP codes: