Lake County, Illinois
33 ZIP codes · Avg score 71/100 · Grade B · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Lake County: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Lake County maintains reliable drinking water quality across all 33 of its tracked ZIP codes.
How Lake County Compares
How Lake County Compares
Lake County scores 3 points above the Illinois state average (68/100) and 2 points below the national average (73/100).
Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData Last verified:
ZIP Code Risk Map
Water Quality Map: Lake County, Illinois
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Key Risk Factors
Health risk index: 11.4 (asthma 9.1%, diabetes 11.2%)
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $2,305, driven primarily by flood
56.1% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)
Violation History (2022–2024)
→ Stable trendEPA violation counts by year across Lake County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.
Peak year: 2024 with 17 violations. Past 5 years: 26 total (26 health-based).
Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.
County Health Indicators vs National Average
Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Infrastructure Overview
Modeled area-level indicator, not a failure probability. Sources: Census ACS housing age, EPA DWINS infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.
Compound Risk Breakdown
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $2,305
Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).
Housing Age Distribution
266,905 housing units in Lake County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).
Water Safety Affordability
How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Lake County
Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Lake County, representing a small fraction of property value.
Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.
Health Outcomes vs National Average
CDC PLACES data for Lake County residents
Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Water systems serving Lake County
8 community water systems serving Lake County.
- C
- C
- B
- B
- B
- B
Show all 8 water systems
- B
- C
55 total water systems serve Lake County.
Systems with the most violations in Lake County
5 water systems with recorded EPA violations.
- C
- C
- B
- C
- C
All ZIP Codes in Lake County
33 ZIP codes tracked in Lake County.
| # | ZIP Code | City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 60040 | Highwood | 81 | B | 2 | $455K |
| 2 | 60045 | Lake Forest | 81 | B | 5 | $899K |
| 3 | 60069 | Lincolnshire | 80 | B | 8 | $570K |
| 4 | 60088 | Great Lakes | 80 | B | 6 (2 health) | — |
| 5 | 60031 | Gurnee | 78 | B | 10 | $322K |
| 6 | 60002 | Antioch | 76 | B | 30 | $288K |
| 7 | 60015 | Deerfield | 76 | B | 13 | $603K |
| 8 | 60035 | Highland Park | 76 | B | 9 | $595K |
| 9 | 60046 | Lake Villa | 76 | B | 15 | $283K |
| 10 | 60083 | Wadsworth | 76 | B | 16 | $286K |
| 11 | 60087 | Waukegan | 76 | B | 18 | $186K |
| 12 | 60064 | North Chicago | 74 | B | 14 (2 health) | $140K |
| 13 | 60061 | Vernon Hills | 71 | B | 16 (1 health) | $390K |
| 14 | 60084 | Wauconda | 71 | B | 43 (1 health) | $283K |
| 15 | 60085 | Waukegan | 70 | B | 21 (3 health) | $165K |
| 16 | 60044 | Lake Bluff | 68 | C | 20 (3 health) | $569K |
| 17 | 60096 | Winthrop Harbor | 68 | C | 23 | $238K |
| 18 | 60010 | Barrington | 67 | C | 54 (2 health) | $623K |
| 19 | 60030 | Grayslake | 67 | C | 72 (3 health) | $277K |
| 20 | 60047 | Lake Zurich | 67 | C | 48 (1 health) | $510K |
| 21 | 60048 | Libertyville | 67 | C | 28 (3 health) | $535K |
| 22 | 60060 | Mundelein | 67 | C | 65 (1 health) | $299K |
| 23 | 60073 | Round Lake | 67 | C | 83 (2 health) | $215K |
| 24 | 60099 | Zion | 67 | C | 39 | $190K |
| 25 | 60081 | Spring Grove | 62 | C | 78 (1 health) | $333K |
| 26 | 60020 | Fox Lake | 50 | D | 114 (2 health) | $216K |
| 27 | 60041 | Ingleside | 50 | D | 61 (2 health) | $241K |
| 28 | 60011 | Barrington | — | — | — | |
| 29 | 60037 | Fort Sheridan | — | — | — | |
| 30 | 60075 | Russell | — | — | — | |
| 31 | 60079 | Waukegan | — | — | — | |
| 32 | 60086 | North Chicago | — | — | — | |
| 33 | 60092 | Libertyville | — | — | — |
Recommended Buyer Guides for Lake County
Editorial methodology pairs each documented risk in this county with the buyer category that addresses it, drawing on water-quality detections, housing-stock lead exposure, EPA Radon Zone designation, and FEMA flood and wildfire ratings. NSF-certified options surface where applicable, and products that match the specific contaminant take priority.
- Best Water Filters for PFAS — PFAS detected in 1 ZIP code
- Best Water Filters for Lead — Lead above EPA action level in 2 ZIP codes
- Best Lead Paint Test Kits — 56.1% of homes built before 1978
- Best Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis Systems — Multi-contaminant removal at the kitchen tap
- Best Sump Pumps — Flood is the top compound risk factor
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Lake County, Illinois
Overview
Lake County in Illinois covers 33 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of B (71/100) across 27 scored records.
27 of 27 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record have recorded EPA violations. 10 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
← Back to Illinois Home Safety Profile
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- PFAS screening: EPA UCMR 5
- Radon zones: EPA Map of Radon Zones
- Air quality: EPA AirData annual AQI
- Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.