Cedar Lake · Lake County · IN
Homes for sale in
Cedar Lake.
- Active listings
- 5
- Median list
- $680K
- Avg time on market
- 88 days
- Sold · last year
- 0
Photo: Steve Shook / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Active listings
5 homes on the market
About the community
Living in Cedar Lake.
Cedar Lake is built around its namesake, a roughly 781-acre natural lake that is one of the largest in Indiana. The town sits in southwest Lake County, Indiana, with Hanover Community School Corporation serving most of the area and Hanover Central High School at the center of local Friday nights. Growth has been steady, with population at 14,106 at the 2020 Census, up sharply from prior decades. Neighbor Crown Point, the county seat, anchors the area to the northeast and adds restaurants, hospitals, and the historic courthouse square. Buyers tend to split between century-old lakefront cottages and ranches west and south of the water and newer subdivisions east of the lake along the US 41 (Wicker Avenue) corridor. The commute to downtown Chicago is roughly 45 to 50 miles via I-65 to the Skyway or Dan Ryan, about an hour off-peak, and local residents report an average commute around 33 minutes since most jobs are in Northwest Indiana.
At a glance
~14,106 residents
2020 Census population for the town. Steady growth from the post-resort era.
781-acre Cedar Lake
One of Indiana's largest natural lakes, max depth 14 ft. Boating, swimming, and fishing for bluegill, crappie, perch, catfish, bass, and walleye.
Hanover Community Schools
Hanover Community School Corporation serves most of Cedar Lake, including Hanover Central High School and Middle School. About 2,797 students K-12 districtwide.
US 41 + I-65 access
US 41 (Wicker Avenue) runs the length of town as the commercial spine. I-65 is just east in Crown Point for the Chicago commute.
~45 to 50 miles to Chicago Loop
About an hour off-peak via I-65 to the Skyway or Dan Ryan. No commuter rail in town; closest South Shore Line stops are 20 to 25 miles north in Hammond and East Chicago.
Effective property tax ~1.09%
Indiana caps owner-occupied homestead bills at 1% of assessed value (constitutional circuit breaker), plus voter-approved referendum levies. Ownwell reports an effective rate around 1.09% in Cedar Lake.
Indiana sales tax 7.0%
Flat 7% Indiana state sales tax with no local add-on in Cedar Lake.
Cedar Lake Summerfest since 1981
Annual Fourth of July weekend festival on the lake with parade, carnival, cardboard boat race, beer garden, and two nights of fireworks over the water.
What’s close
Cedar Lake wraps the southern and eastern shores of its namesake lake in southwest Lake County, Indiana, with the town's commercial spine running along US 41 (Wicker Avenue) on the east side and most neighborhoods radiating out from the 133rd Avenue intersection.
- Cedar Lake (the lake)
- Roughly 781-acre natural lake with a public beach, boat launch, and lakefront parks anchoring the town.
- Town Complex / Lake of the Red Cedars Park
- 18 acres of lakeshore parkland at Morse Street and Constitution Avenue, home to Summerfest and the Museum at Lassen's Resort.
- Hanover Central High School
- 10120 W 133rd Ave, the only high school in Hanover Community School Corporation, serving most of the town.
- US 41 / Wicker Avenue corridor
- Main commercial spine running through Cedar Lake, with the only stoplight in town at 133rd Avenue.
- Lemon Lake County Park (north in Crown Point)
- 402-acre Lake County park at 6322 W 133rd Ave with disc golf, dog park, and trails.
- Newer subdivisions east of the lake
- Bulk of recent residential growth has come east of US 41 along 133rd Avenue.
What it’s actually like to live here
Lakefront life is the headline. Cedar Lake supports boating, fishing for bluegill, crappie, perch, catfish, bass, and walleye, and a public beach on the town complex shoreline. The Lighthouse Restaurant on the south shore is the local fine-dining mainstay and consistently ranks at the top of Cedar Lake's restaurant list. Cedar Lake Summerfest, running every Fourth of July weekend since 1981, packs the town complex with parades, a cardboard boat race, and two nights of fireworks over the water.
Off the water, Cedar Lake reads as a growing family suburb. Hanover Community Schools draw a lot of buyers, and recent subdivisions east of US 41 deliver newer construction at price points well below the Cook County side of the border. The trade-off is the Chicago commute: I-65 north to the Skyway or Dan Ryan averages around an hour off-peak and can easily stretch past 90 minutes in rush traffic. Lake County's South Shore Line stations in Hammond and East Chicago sit roughly 20 to 25 miles north for buyers who want a rail option.
Neighborhoods
Detailed Cedar Lake community pages coming soon.
Browse the listings above. Detailed neighborhood pages with market stats, school info, and lifestyle take-downs land here as we roll them out.
Schools
Districts serving Cedar Lake.
Boundary lines do shift. Always confirm in writing for a specific address before writing an offer.
- HCSCGrades PK to 12
Hanover Community School Corporation
Schools serving the area
- Hanover Central High School
- Hanover Central Middle School
- Jane Ball Elementary
- Lincoln Elementary
- Red Cedars Elementary
HCSC serves the majority of Cedar Lake plus portions of St. John, Crown Point, and Dyer. About 2,797 students PK-12. Far-northeast Cedar Lake addresses may fall in Crown Point Community School Corporation, so verify by street address.
Around town
What there is to do in Cedar Lake.
A handful of the places people who live here actually use. Not a directory.
- Parks
Cedar Lake (Town Complex Shoreline)
Town parkland on the lakefront with public beach, boat launch, picnic shelters, and access to fishing and swimming on the 781-acre lake.
- Culture
Museum at Lassen's Resort
Formerly the Lake of the Red Cedars Museum at 7408 Constitution Ave. Resort and ice-harvesting history, open May to October.
- Parks
Lemon Lake County Park
402-acre Lake County park just north in Crown Point with disc golf, dog park, fishing, and picnic shelters.
- Parks
Sauerman Woods Park
Small Cedar Lake / Crown Point area park with pond, fountain, playground, and an easy walking trail of roughly 2.1 km.
- Food & Drink
Lighthouse Restaurant
Lakefront steaks and seafood at 7501 Constitution Ave on the south shore of Cedar Lake, consistently the top-rated restaurant in town on Tripadvisor.
- Family
Cedar Lake Summerfest
Annual Fourth of July weekend festival on the lake since 1981. Parade, carnival, cardboard boat race, beer garden, and two nights of fireworks over the water.
Getting around
Commute + transit from Cedar Lake.
DriveBy car
- Routes: US 41 / Wicker Avenue · IN 133 · I-65 (via Crown Point / Lowell)
- Chicago Loop: ~60 min
- O'Hare Airport: ~84 min
- Midway Airport: ~65 min
By the numbers
Cedar Lake taxes + market stats.
Property tax rates vary by exact township and assessor district. Confirm per address before pricing a purchase.
Property tax rate
1.09%
effective avg
Sales tax
7.00%
combined
Median sold price
$340,950
MRED · last 12 mo (10 sales)
Median household income
$83,381
ACS
How Cedar Lake got here
A bit of history.
The Potawatomi knew the water as the Lake of the Red Cedars before European settlement reached the area in the late 1830s. When the Monon Railroad reached the lake's western shore in the early 1880s, Cedar Lake transformed into a Chicago-facing resort town, with more than 50 hotels and boarding houses lining the shoreline by the turn of the century and a fleet of small boats ferrying weekenders from the train depot to lakeside lodging. In winter, big Chicago meatpackers including Armour and Oscar Mayer cut and shipped ice from the lake.
The resort era peaked from the 1880s through the 1940s and faded after World War II as families converted summer cottages into year-round homes. Cedar Lake residents resisted incorporation for decades over tax concerns, but after Dr. Robert King and others won an Indiana Supreme Court decision, the town was officially incorporated in 1967. The original Lassen's Resort site on the lakeshore now houses the Museum at Lassen's Resort, operated by the Cedar Lake Historical Association, and the town complex around it hosts the Cedar Lake Summerfest every Fourth of July weekend since 1981.
The questions buyers actually ask
Cedar Lake FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping Cedar Lake. If yours isn't here, text 815-355-0582, same-day reply.
- What schools serve Cedar Lake, IN?
- Most of Cedar Lake is served by Hanover Community School Corporation, which includes Hanover Central High School at 10120 W 133rd Ave, Hanover Central Middle School, and elementaries including Jane Ball, Lincoln, and Red Cedars. A few addresses on the north and east edges may fall in Crown Point Community School Corporation, so always verify by street address.
- How long is the commute from Cedar Lake to downtown Chicago?
- Roughly 45 to 50 miles via I-65 to the Skyway or Dan Ryan, about an hour off-peak. Typical local commute time per Census data is about 33 to 35 minutes since many residents work in Northwest Indiana rather than the Loop. There is no Metra or South Shore station in town; the closest South Shore Line stops are in Hammond and East Chicago, about 20 to 25 miles north.
- How big is Cedar Lake and what can you do on it?
- About 781 acres, one of Indiana's largest natural lakes, with a max depth of 14 feet. The lake supports power boating, swimming at the public beach, and fishing for bluegill, crappie, perch, catfish, smallmouth and largemouth bass, and walleye.
- How do Indiana property taxes in Cedar Lake compare to Illinois?
- Indiana caps owner-occupied homestead property tax bills at 1 percent of the home's gross assessed value by constitutional amendment, plus voter-approved referendum levies, and the effective rate in Cedar Lake runs around 1.09 percent. That's typically a meaningful step down from comparable Cook, Lake (IL), or Will County properties. Indiana sales tax is a flat 7 percent with no local add-on.
- Where should I look in Cedar Lake?
- Two general buckets. Lakefront and near-lake streets west and south of the water offer older cottages, rebuilds, and the classic Cedar Lake vibe (the Lighthouse Restaurant and town complex are anchors here). For newer construction and family-oriented subdivisions, look east of US 41 along 133rd Avenue, where most of the recent growth has happened.
- Is Cedar Lake the same as Cedar Lake, Illinois?
- No. This is Cedar Lake, Indiana, in Lake County, Indiana, just over the state line from Illinois. Different state, different taxes, different schools (Hanover Community Schools, not an Illinois district).
- When is Cedar Lake Summerfest?
- Every Fourth of July weekend, on the shores of Cedar Lake at the town complex. It's been running since 1981 and features a parade, carnival rides, cardboard boat race, beer garden, and two nights of fireworks over the water.
Nearby
Towns next to Cedar Lake.
If you’re cross-shopping the area, these are the places that border Cedar Lake.
Your local agent
Joe knows Cedar Lake
Most agents will list anything. I focus on the communities I actually know, and the details that determine resale value here aren't in the MLS write-up: which lots back to open space, which streets carry the most consistent demand, which floor plans buyers ask for by name, and what each HOA actually covers.
When you're ready to tour or list, you want someone who's walked the streets, talked to the residents, and read the last 50 closed comps in this market specifically. That's how I work. Text or call any time, and I'll give you a real take, not a brochure.
- Lives in McHenry County
- Local specialist
- Cedar Lake specialist
- Honest local market take
- Brokerocity
Thinking of selling?
What's your home actually worth?
Not a Zestimate. A real CMA from someone who's sold this neighborhood, knows the floor plan premiums, and can tell you which upgrades the buyer pool here actually pays for.
- Pricing range with comp-by-comp logic
- Pre-list improvements that pay back, and the ones that don't
- No obligation, no spam, no auto-dialer