Lake County, Illinois Eviction Risk: Moderate

Lake County carries a 4.4/10 Moderate eviction-risk score, averaged across 53 cities and a total county population of 660,420. Among Illinois counties that score tracks toward the higher-risk end of the state: only 6 of 102 counties score worse, placing Lake County in the higher-risk third statewide. For landlords weighing a long-term hold here, that context matters, because conditions that look tolerable at the county level can tighten quickly at the city level.

The intra-county range runs from 4.6 at the low end to 5.6 at the high end, a full point of separation across the same county. Average asking rent sits at $1,669, rent burden averages 30.7% of renter income, and renters make up 27% of households county-wide, a relatively modest renter share that still translates to a large absolute tenant population given the county's size. These dynamics, combined with Illinois eviction laws state law, shape the operating picture for any landlord active in the county.

The cities inside Lake County

Risk is not evenly distributed across Lake County. North Chicago (population 30,643) and Old Mill Creek both sit at the county ceiling of 4.4/10, making them the highest-risk municipalities in the county. Zion and Highwood follow at 4.5/10, and Vernon Hills, Buffalo Grove, Mundelein, and Gurnee each score 5.3 or above. These cities cluster meaningfully above the county average and warrant tighter screening, stronger cash reserves, and a realistic underwriting assumption about vacancy and collection loss.

On the other end of the spectrum, Waukegan, despite being the county's largest city at 89,076 residents, scores 4.9/10, below the county average, reflecting a comparatively more stable landlord operating environment than several smaller neighbors. Highland Park comes in at 4.2/10. The spread reinforces that a single county-level number obscures material differences that directly affect net operating income.

State-level laws that apply here

Every landlord in Lake County operates under Illinois eviction laws state law, specifically 735 ILCS 5/9 (Forcible Entry and Detainer). For nonpayment of rent, a 5-day notice is required before filing; a material lease violation requires a 10-day notice; and a month-to-month tenancy requires 30 days. An uncontested case typically resolves in 30 to 60 days; a contested case can stretch to 60 to 150 days. Court filing fees range from $200 to $400, sheriff lockout fees from $60 to $200, and attorney fees commonly run $750 to $3,500, meaning total out-of-pocket costs for a fully litigated eviction can reach into the thousands even before accounting for lost rent. Reviewing the Illinois eviction laws eviction process and Illinois eviction costs in detail before your first filing will prevent costly procedural missteps.

Illinois eviction laws does not require just cause for most non-renewal decisions, and the state preempts local rent control ordinances, so landlords county-wide are not exposed to rent caps. Source-of-income status is protected under Illinois law, which affects how you may screen applicants. Illinois security deposit limits are governed at the state level, so review those rules carefully before collecting move-in funds.

With an average poverty rate of 8.4% and renters representing 27% of households, Lake County sits in a moderate-pressure band, but the city-level scores in the grid above show exactly where that pressure concentrates, and where it eases.