Median Income
$69,191
household / year
Median Home Value
$197,100
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,102
gross / month
Cost of Living
91
national avg = 100

Is Lake of the Woods, IL a Good Place to Live?

Lake of the Woods is a small town of 2,350 in Illinois, with a median household income of $69,191 and a 7.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is 9% below the national average.

Strengths: Lake of the Woods stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, a well-educated population, short average commutes.

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

All Lake of the Woods 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: 90.8

Lake of the Woods's overall cost of living index is 90.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Lake of the Woods costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.

Metric Lake of the Woods, IL National Avg
Median Home Value $197,100 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,102 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 77.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $69,191 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Lake of the Woods's violent crime rate is 355.8 per 100,000 residents — 6% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
355.8 /100k
Property Crime
1544.2 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Metric Lake of the Woods, 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 43.0% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 98.3% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Lake of the Woods sees average highs of 33.1°F in January and 83.6°F in July, with 40.4 inches of annual precipitation and 17.4 inches of snow per year.

MetricLake of the Woods, IL
Average High — January33.1°F
Average High — July83.6°F
Annual Precipitation40.4"
Annual Snowfall17.4"

Demographics

MetricLake of the Woods, ILNational Avg
Population2,350
Median Age37.838.9
Unemployment Rate7.4%3.7%
Avg Commute Time21.0 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)98.9%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino1.1%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1828.5%22.2%
65 and over17.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Lake of the Woods vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Lake of the Woods's cost of living index is 91, where 100 is the national average. That makes Lake of the Woods roughly 9% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $197,100 and median rent is $1,102/month.
Lake of the Woods's violent crime rate is 355.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1544.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Lake of the Woods, IL has a population of 2,350, a median household income of $69,191, and an unemployment rate of 7.4%. 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.
Lake of the Woods averages 33.1°F in January and 83.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 40.4 inches with about 17.4 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Lake of the Woods, Illinois is 2,350 with a median age of 37.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Lake of the Woods: cost of living index 91 (100 = US average), median home $197,100, median household income $69,191, crime index 86 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Lake of the Woods side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.