2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Crystal Lake, IL vs Lake Forest, IL

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Highlights
Are people in Lake Forest older or younger than people in Crystal Lake?
- The Median Age in Lake Forest is 6.9 years older than in Crystal Lake.

Are housing costs cheaper in Lake Forest or Crystal Lake?
- Lake Forest housing costs are 203.0% more expensive than Crystal Lake housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Lake Forest or Crystal Lake?
- The average commute for residents of Lake Forest is 0.7 minutes shorter than it is for residents of Crystal Lake.

Things to do in Crystal Lake?
Crystal Lake, Illinois is found in McHenry county giving its citizens access to top rated schools such as Crystal Lake South High School while also having shopping options at Crystal Point Mall and multiple restaurants including Wildfire Barbeque Co.

Things to do in Lake Forest?
Lake Forest, Illinois is a vibrant city located in Lake County. With its many shops and restaurants, it’s the perfect destination for those seeking an enjoyable night out or a fun day of shopping. For outdoor fans, Lake Forest offers beautiful parks and trails, plus beaches along the shore of Lake Michigan. Families looking to move to the area can rest assured that there are multiple schools with outstanding educational programs. Lake Forest has something to offer everyone — whether you’re a nature lover or just looking for a great place to live.

 Crystal Lake, ILLake Forest, ILUnited States
 Population  Unlock19,450329,725,481
 Median Income$96,274  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock46.438.4
 Avg. Home Price$296,600  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock6.4%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time31.88  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Crystal Lake    7 Reviews

Over 11 years ago

Great area for recreational boating, fishing and biking. Great place to involve your kids as there are lots of opportunities' for football, baseball and dance. For  More

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Over 12 years ago

I have been living here for 12 years. It's a nice community with friendly people, but I hate the weather. It feels like winter is 6 months long with many overcast days,  More

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Over 12 years ago

A nice place to raise a family, but not a lot of diversity. We are looking to move from here and searching in the Colorado  More

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Reviews for Lake Forest    4 Reviews

We relocated cross county to Lake Forest about a year ago due to a job change. We looked at nearby communities, within proximity of the work commute (the office is in  More

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Be prepared for a so called upscale town with entitled, overpaid, snooty people from teenagers who sneer at you to adults who look you up and down, who make demands on a  More

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Over 15 years ago

Long cold winters, short cold springs, hot humid summers, nice  More

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