Lake Bluff, IL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Lake Bluff, IL Summary

Cost of living in Lake Bluff research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Lake Bluff is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Illinois, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Lake Bluff is 168, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Lake Bluff is 1.7x higher than the national average.

  • Lake Bluff ranks as the #326 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • Lake Bluff ranks as the #6,033 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Lake Bluff is $615,952.

  • The median income in Lake Bluff is $205,735.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
168
Lake Bluff's Overall Cost Of Living
1.7x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Lake Bluff, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Lake Bluff has an overall cost of living index of 168, which is 1.7x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, Lake Bluff has a cost of living index that's 1.7x higher than Illinois's index of 97.

The standard of living in Lake Bluff ranks as #326 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Lake Bluff ranks as the #10 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Lake Bluff, check out:

326 out of 336
In Illinois
6,033 out of 6,489
In America

Lake Bluff Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Lake Bluff. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Lake Bluff is 105.

  • The Groceries index in Lake Bluff is 102.

  • The Health index in Lake Bluff is 109.

  • The Housing index in Lake Bluff is 313.

  • The Transportation index in Lake Bluff is 107.

  • The Utilities index in Lake Bluff is 88.

Living Expense Lake Bluff Illinois National Average
Overall 168 97 100
Services 105 95 100
Groceries 102 99 100
Health 109 93 100
Housing 313 95 100
Transportation 107 102 100
Utilities 88 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Lake Bluff Cost of Living Vs. IL

Lake Bluff, IL Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Illinois, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Lake Bluff is $615,952.

  • The Median Rent in Lake Bluff is $1,826.

  • The Median Income in Lake Bluff is $205,735.

  • The Home Value To Income in Lake Bluff is 3.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Lake Bluff is 0.11x.

Statistic Lake Bluff Illinois United States
Median Home Value $615,952 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $1,826 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $205,735 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.0x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.11x 0.18x 0.21x
$615,952
Median Home Value
$1,826
Median Rent
$205,735
Median Income

Lake Bluff, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Lake Bluff Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Lake Bluff Illinois
Shampoo $1.27 $1.28
Movie $17.91 $12.13
Bowling $24.58 $18
Haircut $33.69 $24.26
Beauty Salon $53.44 $45.56

Detailed Lake Bluff Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Lake Bluff Illinois
Ground Beef $5.28 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.42 $1.57
Milk $4.87 $4.67
Potatoes $4.9 $4.93
Pizza $13.41 $12.09
Beer $10.0 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.75 $3.7

Detailed Lake Bluff Health Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Lake Bluff Illinois
Optometrist $118.27 $125.68
Doctor $167.67 $135.78
Dentist $128.22 $113.29

Detailed Lake Bluff Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Lake Bluff Illinois
Gasoline $3.56 $3.46
Tire Balancing $70.87 $59.92

Detailed Lake Bluff Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Lake Bluff Illinois
All Electricity $148.58 $193.99
Phone $210.03 $192.25

Lake Bluff SnackAbility

10
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
10
Affordability
8
Diversity
6
Safety
9.5
Amenities
8
Education
10
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Lake Bluff

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Lake Bluff. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Waukegan, IL has a cost of living index of 97, 0.6x Lake Bluff.

  • Arlington Heights, IL has a cost of living index of 124, 0.7x Lake Bluff.

  • Glenview, IL has a cost of living index of 149, 0.9x Lake Bluff.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Lake Bluff
Waukegan, IL 88,919 97 0.6x
Arlington Heights, IL 76,220 124 0.7x
Glenview, IL 47,682 149 0.9x
Buffalo Grove, IL 42,824 125 0.7x
Park Ridge, IL 39,241 138 0.8x
Northbrook, IL 34,642 153 0.9x
North Chicago, IL 30,772 95 0.6x
Highland Park, IL 30,229 148 0.9x
Wilmette, IL 27,550 164 1.0x
Libertyville, IL 20,493 135 0.8x

Articles About Illinois

Enjoy The Snack?