Lake Zurich · Lake County · IL
Homes for sale in
Lake Zurich.
- Active listings
- 16
- Median list
- $550K
- Avg time on market
- 10 days
- Sold · last year
- 0
Photo: MinimalRM / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Active listings
16 homes on the market
About the community
Living in Lake Zurich.
Lake Zurich is a village of roughly 19,800 in southwestern Lake County, wrapped around the 235-acre lake that gives the town its name. Yankee farmers settled the area in the 1830s, and the village was formally incorporated on September 29, 1896. Today the lakefront at Paulus Park anchors a downtown along Main Street and Old Rand Road that hosts Alpine Fest each July and Rock the Block each September. Lake Zurich CUSD 95 serves the village with one high school, two middle schools, and five elementary schools. US-12 (Rand Road) and IL-22 (Half Day Road) carry commuters southeast to O'Hare in about 22 miles and downtown Chicago in about 37.
At a glance
Population 19,759 (2020)
2020 Census recorded 19,759 residents. Median household income of about $135,968 (Data USA 2024).
235-acre Lake Zurich
The village's namesake lake, originally called Cedar Lake, renamed by settler Seth Paine after the Swiss lake. Paulus Park beach on the south shore.
Lake Zurich CUSD 95
Unified K-12 district with eight schools: Lake Zurich High School, two middle schools (North and South), and five elementaries (Isaac Fox, May Whitney, Sarah Adams, Seth Paine, Spencer Loomis).
US-12 and IL-22 corridors
US-12 (Rand Road) and IL-22 (Half Day Road) are the village's main highways. About 22 miles to O'Hare, 37 miles to the Loop.
245 acres of park land
Village parks system covers about 245 acres across 32 properties, with 22 playgrounds, 10 baseball fields, 10 soccer fields, and miles of biking and hiking trails.
Alpine Fest and Rock the Block
Alpine Fest is the village's mid-July downtown festival; Rock the Block is the September street festival at Old Rand and Main.
Incorporated 1896
Formally incorporated September 29, 1896. Settled in the 1830s by Yankee farmers, later joined by German immigrants.
Property tax about 2.38 percent
Average effective property tax rate per Ownwell, lower than the Lake County county-wide average of about 2.73 percent. Median tax bill near $8,126.
What’s close
Lake Zurich sits in southwestern Lake County in Ela Township, about 37 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. The village wraps around its namesake lake, with the US-12 (Rand Road) and IL-22 (Half Day Road) corridors framing downtown and tying the village into the rest of the northwest suburbs.
- Lake Zurich (the lake)
- A roughly 235-acre lake that anchors the village center and gives the town its name.
- Paulus Park
- The village's lakefront park, beach, athletic fields, and concert stage on the south shore of Lake Zurich.
- Downtown Main Street and Old Rand Road
- Walkable retail and restaurant core where Alpine Fest and Rock the Block take place each year.
- US-12 Rand Road corridor
- Primary commercial spine running northwest-southeast through town.
- CUSD 95 campuses
- Five elementaries plus Middle School North, Middle School South, and Lake Zurich High School distributed across the village.
- Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve
- About 770 acres of marsh, prairie, and trail immediately south of the village in Deer Park.
What it’s actually like to live here
Daily life in Lake Zurich revolves around the lake and the downtown that wraps its south end. Paulus Park puts a sandy beach, kayak and paddleboat rental, a sprayground, and an athletic field within walking distance of Main Street, and Breezewald Park adds a second beach on the north side. The village's parks system covers about 245 acres across 32 properties, with 22 playgrounds, 10 baseball fields, 10 soccer fields, four pickleball courts, and miles of biking and hiking trails. In summer the village runs the Alpine Fest carnival in mid-July and a Fourth of July fireworks show over the lake.
Most households are owner-occupied, with a homeownership rate around 77.8 percent and average car ownership of two vehicles per household per Data USA. Median household income sits around $135,968 with a poverty rate of 3.4 percent, well below the national figure. The Deer Park Town Center open-air mall at Rand and Long Grove Roads gives residents 60-plus stores and restaurants without leaving the immediate area, and the Rock the Block downtown festival each September draws thousands to the Old Rand and Main Street corner.
Neighborhoods
Detailed Lake Zurich 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 Lake Zurich.
Boundary lines do shift. Always confirm in writing for a specific address before writing an offer.
- CUSD95Grades K to 12
Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95
Schools serving the area
- Lake Zurich High School
- Lake Zurich Middle School North
- Lake Zurich Middle School South
- Isaac Fox Elementary
- May Whitney Elementary
- Sarah Adams Elementary
- Seth Paine Elementary
- Spencer Loomis Elementary
Unified K-12 district covering Lake Zurich and parts of neighboring Ela Township communities. One high school, two middle schools (North and South), and five elementaries.
From the neighborhood
Around Lake Zurich
Real local creators on TikTok. Tap a tile to play it right here.
No fear. All fun. Cody loves a carnival. #downsyndrome #theluckyfew #huntleyfallfest
@growingwithcodyTom’s in Huntley, IL #fallactivities #illinois #pumpkinspice #fallfun #chicagoland
@danirenee17HUNTLEY JUST GOT EVEN MORE CHARMING! ✨ Downtown Huntley has a brand new shopping destination and it’s the perfect place to kick off your holiday shopping season! 🛍️ Shops on Main officially opens
@itsabbysworldafterallthe CUTESTTTT and YUMMIESTTT coffee shop in huntley, il!! ☕️✨🫶🏼 #coffeeshop #icedlatte #coffeedate
@cheyenne.andersonnAround town
What there is to do in Lake Zurich.
A handful of the places people who live here actually use. Not a directory.
- Parks
Henry J. Paulus Park
Lake Zurich's flagship lakefront park, with a sandy beach, kayak and paddleboat rental from June through early August, a sprayground, athletic field, and concert stage.
- Parks
Breezewald Park
Second village beach on the north side of Lake Zurich with a Sunset Pavilion and lakefront fishing.
- Parks
Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve
Roughly 770 acres of marsh, savanna, and prairie just south of the village with about 3 miles of hiking, biking, and cross-country ski trails.
- Family
Alpine Fest
Multi-day downtown festival held each July near Lions Park and Main Street, with carnival rides, live music, a beer garden, and a parade.
- Culture
Rock the Block
Annual downtown street festival each September at Old Rand and Main with three live bands, food trucks, and Main Street restaurants.
- Shopping
Deer Park Town Center
60-plus-store open-air lifestyle center at Rand and Long Grove Roads just south of the village, with Apple, Anthropologie, Crate and Barrel, Barnes and Noble, Century Theatres, and a full restaurant lineup.
Getting around
Commute + transit from Lake Zurich.
DriveBy car
- Routes: US-12 (Rand Road) · IL-22 (Half Day Road) · IL-83
- O'Hare Airport: ~30 min
- Chicago Loop: ~54 min
By the numbers
Lake Zurich taxes + market stats.
Property tax rates vary by exact township and assessor district. Confirm per address before pricing a purchase.
Property tax rate
2.38%
effective avg
Sales tax
8.00%
combined
Median sold price
$482,500
MRED · last 12 mo (236 sales)
Median household income
$135,968
ACS
How Lake Zurich got here
A bit of history.
European settlement began in the 1830s, when Yankee farmers including George Ela (namesake of Ela Township), Seth Paine, and Nathan Kowitt moved into the area. The lake was originally known as Cedar Lake. Seth Paine, who settled east of the lake in 1836 and was drawn to the utopian socialist ideas of Charles Fourier, renamed it Lake Zurich after the Swiss lake, intending to root an intentional community in the area. German immigrants arrived through the middle of the 19th century, and the village was formally incorporated on September 29, 1896.
Through the late 1800s and early 1900s Lake Zurich functioned as a small resort destination drawing visitors to its lakeshore. US Route 12 was routed through town as Rand Road in 1922, and Illinois Route 22 followed in 1927, locking in the highway grid that still defines the village. Sustained housing growth came in the 1950s and continued through the late 20th century, transforming Lake Zurich from a resort hamlet into a full residential suburb of 19,759 by the 2020 census.
The questions buyers actually ask
Lake Zurich FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping Lake Zurich. If yours isn't here, text 815-355-0582, same-day reply.
- Does Lake Zurich have a Metra station?
- No. Lake Zurich is one of the larger Lake County villages without its own Metra stop. The closest stations are Buffalo Grove (about 9 miles southeast on the North Central Service) and Barrington (about 6 miles southwest on the Union Pacific Northwest line). Most commuters drive to either station or drive the full route to O'Hare or downtown.
- What school district serves Lake Zurich?
- Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 (CUSD 95), a unified K-12 district covering the village and parts of neighboring Ela Township communities. It operates five elementary schools (Isaac Fox, May Whitney, Sarah Adams, Seth Paine, Spencer Loomis), two middle schools (Middle School North and Middle School South), and Lake Zurich High School.
- Can you swim or boat on Lake Zurich itself?
- Yes. The village runs two public beaches on the lake, Paulus Park on the south shore and Breezewald Park on the north shore, both monitored under the Illinois BeachGuard system. Paulus Park rents kayaks, canoes, paddle boats, rowboats, windsurfers, and longboards from early June through early August.
- How long is the drive to O'Hare and downtown Chicago?
- O'Hare International Airport is about 22 miles southeast of Lake Zurich, typically a 26 to 34 minute drive depending on traffic. Downtown Chicago is about 37 miles, generally 54 minutes or more in off-peak traffic and longer at rush hour.
- What is the property tax rate in Lake Zurich?
- Lake Zurich's average effective property tax rate is about 2.38 percent per Ownwell, lower than the Lake County county-wide average of about 2.73 percent. The median tax bill in the village runs around $8,126.
- When did Lake Zurich become a village, and where did the name come from?
- The village was incorporated on September 29, 1896. The lake itself was originally called Cedar Lake. Early settler Seth Paine renamed it Lake Zurich after the Swiss lake, inspired by Charles Fourier's utopian socialist ideas and the intentional communities of Switzerland.
Nearby
Towns next to Lake Zurich.
If you’re cross-shopping the area, these are the places that border Lake Zurich.
Your local agent
Joe knows Lake Zurich
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
- Lake Zurich 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
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