Lake Forest, IL housing market
The typical Lake Forest home is worth about $1,248,000, up 10.8% in a year, 319% above the Illinois typical home. Homes typically sell in 49 days, a little above asking.
Home values, sales, trends and how Lake Forest compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Lake Forest at a glance
A seller's market
Supply is tight — about 2.5 months of homes for sale at the current pace. Buyers should expect competition on well-priced homes.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Lake Forest | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $832,000 | $181,000 |
| 2018 | $814,000 | $190,000 |
| 2019 | $795,000 | $195,000 |
| 2020 | $752,000 | $200,000 |
| 2021 | $772,000 | $215,000 |
| 2022 | $881,000 | $236,000 |
| 2023 | $962,000 | $248,000 |
| 2024 | $1,008,000 | $263,000 |
| 2025 | $1,081,000 | $278,000 |
| 2026 | $1,183,000 | $290,000 |
| August 2026 | $1,248,000 | $298,000 |
Lake Forest and its neighbors
| Town | Typical value | 1-yr change | Days on market | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Forest | $1.25M | +10.8% | 49 | $235,081 |
| Highland Park | $808K | +9.2% | 31 | $168,094 |
| Mettawa | $978K | +9.7% | — | $181,333 |
| Lake Bluff | $667K | +9.5% | 42 | $204,000 |
| Highwood | $500K | +11.2% | — | $107,875 |
| Bannockburn | $1.26M | +11.9% | — | $214,000 |
| Lincolnshire | $748K | +7.7% | 74 | $185,580 |
5.3 years of income
The typical Lake Forest home costs about 5.3 years of the town's median household income, more than across Illinois (3.6 years).
How Lake Forest ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
Recent listings in Lake Forest
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, May 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Listings link to their publishers.