Wauconda · Lake County · IL
Homes for sale in
Wauconda.
- Active listings
- 23
- Median list
- $395K
- Avg time on market
- 22 days
- Sold · last year
- 0
Map data, Mapbox / OpenStreetMap contributors
Active listings
23 homes on the market
About the community
Living in Wauconda.
Wauconda is a Lake County village of roughly 14,000 residents built around 297-acre Bangs Lake, one of northern Illinois' more active natural glacial lakes. The historic Main Street downtown holds the village's civic gravity, lined with the Wauconda Area Public Library, Cook Park, and a tight cluster of independent restaurants and shops. Traffic moves through Wauconda at the confluence of U.S. Route 12 (Rand Road), Illinois Route 176, and Illinois Route 59, putting the Tri-State Tollway, Lake Zurich, and the Chain O' Lakes within a short drive. Public education is delivered by Wauconda Community Unit School District 118, a PreK-12 district serving Wauconda, Island Lake, Volo, Lakemoor, Port Barrington, and Lake Barrington. The Wauconda Park District operates Cook Park, Phil's Beach, and the Lakefront Park boardwalk, and Lake County's largest forest preserve, the 2,835-acre Lakewood Forest Preserve, sits immediately west in Wauconda Township.
At a glance
14,084 residents (2020 Census)
5,266 households. 53.4 percent married-couple households and 35.2 percent with children under 18, a family-heavy profile.
Incorporated August 18, 1877
Town of Wauconda organized 1850. First settled in 1836 by Justus Bangs from Vermont, who built a log cabin on the shore of Bangs Lake.
Bangs Lake
297-acre natural glacial lake with a 35-foot maximum depth at the center of the village. Stocked with bass, bluegill, catfish, crappie, and northern pike.
Wauconda CUSD 118
PreK-12 unit district with Wauconda High School, two middle schools (Matthews and Wauconda Middle), and three K-5 elementaries serving Wauconda, Island Lake, Volo, and Lakemoor.
U.S. 12, IL 176, IL 59
Village sits at the confluence of U.S. Route 12 (Rand Road), Illinois Route 176, and Illinois Route 59, with Tri-State Tollway access via Lake Zurich.
Lakewood Forest Preserve
2,835 acres of trails, ponds, dog park, and the Wauconda Bog National Natural Landmark just west of the village. Lake County's largest forest preserve.
Median household income $90,019
Median family income $108,968. Median age 40.2. Per capita income about $42,504.
Wauconda Area Public Library
Independent library district headquartered at 801 N Main Street, serving Wauconda, Island Lake, Lake Barrington, Port Barrington, Lakemoor, and Volo.
What’s close
Wauconda sits in west-central Lake County, wrapped around Bangs Lake at the intersection of U.S. Route 12, Illinois Route 176, and Illinois Route 59, with Lakewood Forest Preserve forming the township's western edge.
- Bangs Lake
- 297-acre natural glacial lake at the center of the village. Maximum depth 35 feet. Active for boating, water skiing, and fishing.
- Cook Park
- 600 N Main Street. Walking path, fishing pier, skate park, sand volleyball, and a canoe-kayak launch on the lake.
- Phil's Beach / Lakefront Park
- Wauconda Park District swim beach with splash pad, WIBIT inflatable play area, and boardwalk on Bangs Lake.
- Wauconda Area Public Library
- 801 N Main Street, across from Cook Park. Independent library district serving six communities.
- U.S. 12 (Rand Road) / IL 176 junction
- Primary north-south and east-west corridors through the village. Also intersects IL 59 in Wauconda.
- Lakewood Forest Preserve
- 2,835-acre Lake County forest preserve immediately west in Wauconda Township. Trails, equestrian use, fishing ponds, dog park.
What it’s actually like to live here
Daily life in Wauconda is organized around Bangs Lake and the walkable Main Street downtown that runs north from the lakefront. Residents launch kayaks and paddleboards from the non-motorized ramp at Cook Park, swim and use the splash pad at Phil's Beach, walk the one-mile path around Cook Park, and gather at lakeside restaurants like Docks Bar & Grill for waterfront dining. The Wauconda Park District anchors much of this, operating Cook Park, Phil's Beach, two fishing piers, the lakefront boardwalk, and a slate of summer concerts and seasonal events.
The community skews family-oriented and middle-to-upper-income, with a median household income of $90,019 and a median family income of $108,968. Of households, 53.4 percent are married couples and 35.2 percent include children under 18, which keeps Wauconda Community Unit School District 118 at the center of civic life. Outside the village limits, residents have quick access to Lakewood Forest Preserve's hiking, equestrian, and cross-country ski trails, plus the Wauconda Bog National Natural Landmark on the preserve's west side, giving an unusually large amount of open space for a village of this size.
Neighborhoods
Detailed Wauconda 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 Wauconda.
Boundary lines do shift. Always confirm in writing for a specific address before writing an offer.
- D118Grades Pre-K to 12
Wauconda Community Unit School District 118
Schools serving the area
- Wauconda High School
- Matthews Middle School
- Wauconda Middle School
- Cotton Creek School
- Robert Crown School
- Wauconda Grade School
K-12 unified district covering Wauconda, Island Lake, Lakemoor, Volo, and unincorporated portions to the west. A few southern-edge Wauconda addresses are zoned to Lake Zurich CUSD 95 instead, so verify per address.
From the neighborhood
Around Wauconda
Real local creators on TikTok. Tap a tile to play it right here.
ROCKIN’ RIBFEST in Lake in the Hills Illinois FYP TOO LOCAL?!? Comment where you’re from in the Chicagoland or Illinois suburbs #summer #summervibes #thingstodo #chicagosuburbs #huntley #lakeinthehi
@nicolefromchicagoJack in the Box in Lake in the Hills, IL now open! #jackinthebox #grandopening #chicagofoodie #latenight #tacos
@dabesteatzCommunity Update: Construction continues next to the Metra station in downtown Crystal Lake as Depot Park and surrounding public spaces undergo upgrades to improve walkability, landscaping, lighting,
@ian.douglas.mIf you live by me you gotta try 😋 #hotpot #koreanbbq #crystallake
@mia.latimerAround town
What there is to do in Wauconda.
A handful of the places people who live here actually use. Not a directory.
- Parks
Bangs Lake
297-acre glacial lake for boating, water skiing, and fishing for largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish, crappie, and northern pike.
- Family
Phil's Beach (Lakefront Park)
Wauconda Park District swim beach on Bangs Lake with splash pad, WIBIT inflatable play area, and boardwalk.
- Parks
Cook Park
600 N Main Street. One-mile walking path, fishing pier, skate park, sand volleyball, and a canoe-kayak launch.
- Parks
Lakewood Forest Preserve
Lake County's largest forest preserve at 2,835 acres. Hiking, equestrian trails, dog park, fishing ponds, lighted winter sports area, and the Wauconda Bog National Natural Landmark.
- Culture
Wauconda Area Public Library
801 N Main Street. Independent library district serving Wauconda, Island Lake, Lake Barrington, Port Barrington, Lakemoor, and Volo.
- Family
Wauconda Bowl
381 W Liberty Street on Route 176. Family-owned 8-lane bowling alley operating since 1949.
Getting around
Commute + transit from Wauconda.
DriveBy car
- Routes: U.S. Route 12 (Rand Road) · Illinois Route 176 · Illinois Route 59
- Lake Zurich: ~12 min
- Long Lake Metra (MD-N): ~15 min
- Libertyville Metra (MD-N): ~20 min
- O'Hare Airport: ~45 min
- Chicago Loop: ~65 min
By the numbers
Wauconda taxes + market stats.
Property tax rates vary by exact township and assessor district. Confirm per address before pricing a purchase.
Property tax rate
3.25%
effective avg
Sales tax
8.00%
combined
Median sold price
$350,000
MRED · last 12 mo (197 sales)
Median household income
$90,019
ACS
How Wauconda got here
A bit of history.
Wauconda's first non-Native settlers, Justus Bangs and his neighbor Elihu Hubbard, arrived from Vermont in 1836, following Indian trails up from the Fox River until Bangs reached the shore of what is now Bangs Lake and put up a log cabin in two days. The name Wauconda was applied a few years later by LaFayette Mills, a young teacher in the local Little Red School, who took it from a story of Indian life he had read in which a small body of water bore the name. A competing local legend ties the name to a young Native American chief said to be buried on the south shore of Bangs Lake, though no historical record of such a person has been found.
The Town of Wauconda was organized in 1850 following an 1849 county-wide vote to divide Lake County into towns, and the Village of Wauconda was formally incorporated on August 18, 1877, after residents petitioned the County Judge to carve a defined section of the town into a village. Through the late 19th and early 20th centuries Bangs Lake became one of the region's summer-resort destinations, with cottages, dance halls, and a brief stint of rail service via the Palatine, Lake Zurich and Wauconda Railroad, an 11-mile short line that closed in 1924. Postwar growth converted much of that resort land to year-round housing, and the village's population grew from 9,386 in 2000 to 14,084 in the 2020 Census.
The questions buyers actually ask
Wauconda FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping Wauconda. If yours isn't here, text 815-355-0582, same-day reply.
- Is Wauconda a city or a village?
- Wauconda is an incorporated village in Lake County, Illinois. It was incorporated on August 18, 1877, after residents petitioned the Lake County Judge to organize a section of the Town of Wauconda as a village.
- What school district serves Wauconda?
- Wauconda Community Unit School District 118 (CUSD 118) serves Wauconda from PreK through 12th grade. The district operates Wauconda High School, two middle schools (Matthews and Wauconda Middle), and three elementary schools (Cotton Creek, Robert Crown, and Wauconda Grade).
- Does Wauconda have a Metra station?
- No. Wauconda has no Metra service. The nearest Metra stations are Long Lake and Libertyville on the Milwaukee District North (MD-N) line, both within about a 15- to 20-minute drive. A short-line railroad called the Palatine, Lake Zurich and Wauconda Railroad connected the village to Palatine until it closed in 1924.
- How big is Bangs Lake?
- Bangs Lake is a 297-acre natural glacial lake with a maximum depth of 35 feet. It is stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish, crappie, and northern pike, and supports motorized boating, water skiing, swimming, and fishing.
- What is Wauconda's property tax rate?
- Wauconda's median effective property tax rate is about 3.25 percent, with a median annual tax bill near $7,406. That sits above the Lake County median effective rate and well above the national median of about 1.02 percent.
- How did Wauconda get its name?
- Local teacher LaFayette Mills proposed the name Wauconda after reading a story of Indian life in which a small body of water carried that name. A separate local legend ties the name to a young Native American chief reputedly buried on the south shore of Bangs Lake, but there is no historical record confirming that account.
- What forest preserves are near Wauconda?
- Lakewood Forest Preserve, Lake County's largest at 2,835 acres, sits immediately west of the village in Wauconda Township. It offers hiking, equestrian and cross-country ski trails, a dog park, fishing ponds, and a lighted winter sports area. The preserve also contains the Wauconda Bog National Natural Landmark.
Nearby
Towns next to Wauconda.
If you’re cross-shopping the area, these are the places that border Wauconda.
Your local agent
Joe knows Wauconda
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
- Wauconda 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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