City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Willow Lake, IL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Willow Lake - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

838
Residents
$93,750
Median income
$154,100
Median home
$916
Median rent (state)

Willow Lake - the verdict

Willow Lake ranks in the 74th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

74th
percentile, household income
28th
percentile, home value
5th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Willow Lake, IL

Willow Lake is a small town in Illinois, home to 838 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $93,750 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Home values in Willow Lake run a median of $154,100, and the median resident age is 56.6 years. About 24.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 62.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Illinois tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 100.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $916 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Illinois run around $240, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 17.7 minutes, with 89.5% driving alone and 10.5% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 73.9 out of 100 (High).

Population

838 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$93,750 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Willow Lake compare to other US cities?

Willow Lake measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 74% higher than other cities
Home value 28% pricier than other cities
Median rent 5% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Willow Lake against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Illinois only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Illinois-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Willow Lake near the bottom of Illinois's cities

Among the 1,336 Illinois cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Willow Lake ranks #935 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Willow Lake only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#272 of 1,311
79th percentile in Illinois
Median Gross Rent
#935 of 1,336
0th percentile in Illinois
Median Home Value
#479 of 1,315
64th percentile in Illinois
Poverty Rate
#1,245 of 1,335
0th percentile in Illinois
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#428 of 1,336
68th percentile in Illinois

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Illinois only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

74thIncome percentile

74th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Willow Lake's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$154,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 72% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Willow Lake $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Willow Lake, IL Willow Lake, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Willow Lake, IL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Willow Lake, IL median $93,750/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Willow Lake, IL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Willow Lake, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
838
Median Income
$93,750
Median Home Value
$154,100
Median Age
56.6
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
62.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.2%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
17.7 minutes
Drive Alone
89.5%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
10.5%

Based on 448 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Illinois - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$240
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Illinois state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Illinois state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Willow Lake sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$916/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
73.9 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Argenta
838 people
Ashton
837 people
Bonnie Brae
844 people
Witt
844 people
Kinmundy
831 people
Loami
830 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Willow Lake's 838 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Parks, LA
838 people
Norris, SC
838 people
Concrete, WA
838 people
Wadley, AL
837 people
Tulelake, CA
837 people
Shalimar, FL
839 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Willow Lake's $93,750 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Maalaea, HI
$93,750 median income
Montgomery, IN
$93,750 median income
Trenton, KY
$93,750 median income
Lena, MS
$93,750 median income
Lynchburg, MS
$93,750 median income
Battle Creek, NE
$93,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Willow Lake, IL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Willow Lake, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.3% 13.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.8% White 84.3% Black or African American 13.0% Asian 1.9% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 0.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Willow Lake compares to nearby Illinois cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Willow Lake (this city) 838 $93,750
Argenta 838 $75,313
Ashton 837 $61,389
Bonnie Brae 844 $76,483
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Willow Lake, IL?

What is the population of Willow Lake, IL? +

838 people live in Willow Lake, IL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Willow Lake, IL? +

The median household income in Willow Lake is $93,750 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Willow Lake? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Willow Lake; the closest available measure is the Illinois state average, a cost of living index of 100.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Illinois vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Willow Lake, IL? +

Willow Lake's median home value sits at $154,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.