Population 9,695 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lake Bluff
Household size in Lake Bluff
| Period | Lake Bluff | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.61 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.53 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.62 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.58 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
At 2.58 people per household, Lake Bluff sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is smaller than in the Chicago area as a whole, where it has 2.66 people. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southeast.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Lake Bluff
| Period | Lake Bluff | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.2 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.9 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.2 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.8 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.6 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Lake Bluff skews older than the country: its median age is 42.8, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 41.2 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the west and oldest in the east.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Lake Bluff
| Period | Lake Bluff | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Lake Bluff: 5.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 2.1 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 30 have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Lake Bluff
Renters in Lake Bluff
| Period | Lake Bluff | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.4% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.8% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.1% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.6% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly three in ten households in Lake Bluff rent their homes (28.6%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 37.4% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the northwest and least common in the south. The renter share has risen 5.2 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Lake Bluff
| Period | Lake Bluff | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.2% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Lake Bluff is close to the national rate: 8.7% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Vacancy has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Lake Bluff
| Period | Lake Bluff | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1974 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1971 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Lake Bluff was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the wider Chicago area, where the median home dates to 1970. The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the southeast has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Lake Bluff
| Period | Lake Bluff | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,300 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,428 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,691 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,939 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$638 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Lake Bluff costs $1,939 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $638 a month from 2006–10, a 49% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 34.4% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Lake Bluff
Bachelor's degrees in Lake Bluff
| Period | Lake Bluff | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 68.9% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 68.0% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 66.1% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 67.9% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Lake Bluff is highly educated: about two-thirds of adults 25 and older (67.9%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is down 1.1 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 28 have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Lake Bluff
| Period | Lake Bluff | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.4% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.9% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.5% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.1% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Lake Bluff: 96.1% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged up 0.6 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Lake Bluff
| Period | Lake Bluff | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Lake Bluff has been strong: just 3.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Lake Bluff compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Bluff | 2.58 | 42.8 | 5.0% | 28.6% | 8.7% | 1977 | $1,939 | 67.9% | 96.1% | 3.4% |
| Great Lakes | 2.69 | 21.4 | 12.0% | 99.6% | 12.8% | 1974 | $1,805 | 13.6% | 99.8% | 1.3% |
| Green Oaks | 2.99 | 41.1 | 4.2% | 13.1% | 5.1% | 1989 | $1,928 | 70.6% | 96.5% | 5.0% |
| North Chicago | 3.00 | 31.5 | 23.1% | 55.4% | 11.6% | 1965 | $1,090 | 12.2% | 71.5% | 10.5% |
| Lake Forest | 2.72 | 46.6 | 5.0% | 11.3% | 8.3% | 1976 | $1,997 | 79.9% | 97.7% | 1.9% |
| Mettawa | 2.44 | 48.3 | 3.0% | 19.6% | 11.7% | 1993 | $3,247 | 67.7% | 98.1% | 2.6% |
| Park City | 3.27 | 31.8 | 22.4% | 34.9% | 3.2% | 1990 | $1,381 | 21.6% | 69.9% | 6.9% |
| Libertyville | 2.67 | 43.5 | 5.2% | 19.2% | 5.0% | 1972 | $1,711 | 70.8% | 97.5% | 2.9% |
| Waukegan | 2.90 | 36.4 | 16.5% | 50.6% | 6.0% | 1963 | $1,278 | 19.1% | 73.3% | 6.9% |
| Highwood | 2.56 | 41.5 | 5.7% | 43.2% | 2.9% | 1958 | $1,984 | 42.6% | 82.7% | 4.6% |
| Bannockburn | 2.62 | 31.8 | 2.3% | 5.8% | 3.7% | 1970 | $3,456 | 81.2% | 99.3% | 2.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Montville, NJ · Mims, FL · Mineola, TX · Minerva, OH · Minnehaha, WA · Minnetrista, MN · Moab, UT · Monahans, TX · Monmouth, IL · Monona, WI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Lake Bluff. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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