Holiday Hills · McHenry County · IL
Homes for sale in
Holiday Hills.
- Active listings
- 2
- Median list
- $247K
- Avg time on market
- 7 days
- Sold · last year
- 0
Map data, Mapbox / OpenStreetMap contributors
About the community
Living in Holiday Hills.
Holiday Hills is a tiny village of roughly 620 residents tucked along the Fox River in southeastern McHenry County, just southeast of the city of McHenry. Incorporated in 1976, it grew from a 1950s riverside subdivision of affordable single-family homes that drew Chicago-area commuters looking for a more rural, water-oriented lifestyle. The village covers less than one square mile, and homeownership runs above 91 percent, well over the national average. Day-to-day life leans on neighboring McHenry for shopping, dining, schools, and the closest Metra station, while the Fox River and nearby Moraine Hills State Park anchor the area's outdoor recreation. It is a small, settled, water-adjacent community rather than a commercial hub.
At a glance
618 residents
About 618 at the 2020 census, one of McHenry County's smallest municipalities.
Incorporated 1976
Holiday Hills formally incorporated as a village on March 10, 1976.
0.97 square miles
A compact footprint on the east bank of the Fox River.
Median home value ~$220,000
A water-adjacent village with mostly single-family homes.
Median income ~$74,000
Median household income is about $74,083 per the latest ACS estimates.
91 percent homeownership
Owner-occupied housing runs well above the national average.
On the Fox River
Adjacent to Moraine Hills State Park and the McHenry Dam.
ZIP 60051
Shares the 60051 ZIP and many services with neighboring McHenry and Johnsburg.
What’s close
Holiday Hills sits on the east bank of the Fox River in southeastern McHenry County, immediately southeast of the city of McHenry and roughly 50 miles northwest of downtown Chicago.
- On the Fox River
- Just southeast of the city of McHenry.
- County
- In McHenry County, in the northwestern suburban Chicago region.
- Parks nearby
- Adjacent to Moraine Hills State Park and the McHenry Dam.
- Downtown McHenry
- About 3 miles from downtown McHenry's Riverside Drive district.
- Chain O' Lakes
- Near the Chain O' Lakes recreational area to the north.
- ZIP and area code
- ZIP code 60051, area code 815.
What it’s actually like to live here
Life in Holiday Hills is quiet and residential, defined by its riverside setting and small scale. With about 261 households and homeownership above 91 percent, it is a settled community of mostly single-family homes rather than a place with its own commercial strip. Residents drive into the city of McHenry for groceries, restaurants, and services, and most commute by car.
The draw here is the water and the open space. The Fox River runs right past the village, and Moraine Hills State Park, with its lakes, wetlands, more than 10 miles of trails, and boat and bait concessions at the McHenry Dam, is essentially in the backyard. Downtown McHenry's Riverside Drive district adds riverfront dining, a riverwalk, and a historic brewery a short drive away. It suits buyers who want a low-key, outdoor-oriented lifestyle within reach of the larger McHenry and Chain O' Lakes area.
Neighborhoods
Detailed Holiday Hills 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 Holiday Hills.
Boundary lines do shift. Always confirm in writing for a specific address before writing an offer.
- D12Grades Pre-K – 12
Johnsburg Community Unit School District 12
Schools serving the area
- Johnsburg Elementary School
- Johnsburg Junior High School
- Johnsburg High School
Holiday Hills shares the 60051 ZIP with Johnsburg, and many village addresses fall in CUSD 12. Some addresses instead fall in McHenry CCSD 15 (Pre-K to 8) feeding McHenry CHSD 156 for high school. Verify the exact district for any specific address before relying on it.
- CHSD 156Grades 9 – 12
McHenry Community High School District 156
Schools serving the area
- McHenry Community High School East Campus
- McHenry Community High School West Campus
Serves the McHenry CCSD 15 portion of the area for high school. Per-address verification required.
From the neighborhood
Around Holiday Hills
Real local creators on TikTok. Tap a tile to play it right here.
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@nicolefromchicagoCommunity Update: Construction is underway at 6280 Northwest Highway in Crystal Lake Illinois where a new 7 Brew Coffee location is being developed on the former KFC site. Plans indicate this will be
@ian.douglas.mCome check us out! 🤩 #RMSD #dancestudio #dancers #irishdance #dancejumps #lakewoodillinois #dance #summerdance #irishdancer
@rmsd_mcdancecompanyAround town
What there is to do in Holiday Hills.
A handful of the places people who live here actually use. Not a directory.
- Parks
Moraine Hills State Park and McHenry Dam
A 2,200-acre state park about 3 miles south of McHenry with lakes, wetlands, over 10 miles of trails, fishing, and seasonal boat and bait rentals on the Fox River and Lake Defiance.
- Food & Drink
After the Fox
A riverfront English and Irish style pub on the Fox River in McHenry, serving since 1984 and known for its fresh fish and Friday night fish fry.
- Food & Drink
McHenry Brewing Company
A craft brewery in the historic Brewery Corner building near the Fox River, with a taproom and beer garden hosting live music and food trucks.
- Culture
McHenry Riverwalk District
A scenic riverwalk along Boone Creek and the Fox River linking downtown McHenry's Green Street and Riverside Drive neighborhoods, with shops and restaurants.
- Shopping
Downtown McHenry Riverside Drive
McHenry's walkable riverfront downtown with local shops, bakeries, and Italian dining a few minutes from Holiday Hills.
- Family
Snuggery River Roadhouse
A family-owned roadhouse on the Fox River near the Chain O' Lakes, a casual waterfront spot popular with locals and boaters.
Getting around
Commute + transit from Holiday Hills.
DriveBy car
- Routes: IL 31 · River Road · Lincoln Road
- O'Hare Airport: ~55 min
- Chicago Loop: ~75 min
By the numbers
Holiday Hills taxes + market stats.
Property tax rates vary by exact township and assessor district. Confirm per address before pricing a purchase.
Property tax rate
2.39%
effective avg
Sales tax
8.25%
combined
Median sold price
$229,450
MRED · last 12 mo (6 sales)
Median household income
$74,083
ACS
How Holiday Hills got here
A bit of history.
Holiday Hills began as a single-family-home subdivision platted in the 1950s along the Fox River, marketed to Chicago commuters who wanted an affordable, semi-rural place to live near the water. As the area grew, residents sought local control over services that had been handled at the county level.
The community formally incorporated as a village on March 10, 1976. Its population peaked around the 2000 census at 831 residents, then settled to 610 in 2010 and 618 in the 2020 census. Today it remains one of McHenry County's smallest municipalities, occupying about 0.97 square miles on the Fox River.
The questions buyers actually ask
Holiday Hills FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping Holiday Hills. If yours isn't here, text 815-355-0582, same-day reply.
- Is there a Metra station in Holiday Hills?
- No. The closest Metra station is in the city of McHenry at 4005 Main Street, on the Union Pacific Northwest line, a short drive from the village. There is no station in Holiday Hills itself.
- How long is the commute to downtown Chicago?
- Holiday Hills is about 50 miles northwest of the Chicago Loop, roughly 75 minutes by car in typical conditions. Many residents drive, and the McHenry UP-NW Metra station offers a rail option into Chicago.
- What schools serve Holiday Hills?
- The village straddles the McHenry and Johnsburg school boundary. Depending on the address, students may attend Johnsburg CUSD 12 (Pre-K to 12) or McHenry CCSD 15 (Pre-K to 8) feeding into McHenry CHSD 156 (grades 9 to 12). Always verify the district for a specific property.
- What are property taxes like in Holiday Hills?
- The median effective property tax rate is about 2.39 percent, with a median annual tax bill around $4,700, in line with McHenry County and Illinois, which run high relative to the national average. Confirm by pulling the actual bill for the address.
- What is the village like, being on the Fox River?
- It is a very small, quiet residential village of around 620 people on the east bank of the Fox River. It has no commercial downtown of its own, so residents rely on neighboring McHenry. The appeal is the water, the open space, and proximity to Moraine Hills State Park.
- What is there to do nearby?
- Moraine Hills State Park and the McHenry Dam offer trails, fishing, and boat rentals on the Fox River, while downtown McHenry's Riverside Drive and Riverwalk add riverfront dining, a brewery, and shops minutes away.
Nearby
Towns next to Holiday Hills.
If you’re cross-shopping the area, these are the places that border Holiday Hills.
Your local agent
Joe knows Holiday Hills
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
- Holiday Hills 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