Census tract · Lake County
Census Tract 8606, Lake County, Illinois
Census Tract 8606, GEOID 17097860600, in Lake County, Illinois, mostly within Benton Township, Lake County (83% of its census blocks). 7,883 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±650); the 2020 Census counted 7,663.
Residents, 2020-2024
7,883
±650 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 7,663
Median household income
$55,912
±$23,891 (90% margin)
Lake County: $110,416
Median home value
$256,500
±$19,467 (90% margin)
Lake County: $345,700
Median gross rent
$1,093
±$100 (90% margin)
Lake County: $1,477
Where is Census Tract 8606?
Census Tract 8606 is one of 160 census tracts in Lake County, Illinois. It covers 3.47 square miles of land, 2,208 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 17097860600, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Benton Township, Lake County | 83% |
| Beach Park | 69% |
| Zion | 16% |
| Waukegan | 1% |
4 census tracts border Census Tract 8606: Tract 8602 ($70,932), Tract 8604 ($82,009), Tract 8605 ($65,069) and Tract 8617.01 ($97,056). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 8606?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 8606's population at 7,883 (±650) in 3,271 households; the 2020 Census counted 7,663 residents and 2,964 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 8606 | Benton Township, Lake County |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 7,883 ±650 | 18,857 |
| Households | 3,271 ±316 | 7,821 |
| Average household size | 2.40 ±0.27 | 2.41 |
| Housing units | 3,335 ±332 | 8,072 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 8606?
The median resident of Census Tract 8606 is 41.3 years old; 22.4% are under 18 and 17.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 42.1%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 40.1%. 17.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 8606 | Benton Township, Lake County |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.3 ±11.6 | 47.3 |
| Under 18 years | 22.4% ±5.8 pts | 18.2% |
| 65 years and over | 17.6% ±5.0 pts | 20.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 42.1% ±6.6 pts | 34.2% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 40.1% ±6.5 pts | 50.9% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 14.6% ±5.8 pts | 8.7% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±0.9 pts | 3.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.3% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.1% ±1.7 pts | 2.3% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.3% |
| Born outside the United States | 17.9% ±6.6 pts | 15.3% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 38.0% ±6.8 pts | 29.0% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.5% ±2.7 pts | 8.1% |
| With a disability | 15.0% ±4.1 pts | 12.4% |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.4% ±4.4 pts | 7.0% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 80.1% ±6.1 pts | 87.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 13.1% ±5.0 pts | 20.6% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.5% ±3.0 pts | 9.0% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.2% ±6.6 pts | 91.4% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 8606 earn?
Half of the 3,271 households in Census Tract 8606 earn less than $55,912 a year (±$23,891), against $110,416 across Lake County: 146th highest of the county's 155 tracts with a reliable estimate. 16.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 8606 | Benton Township, Lake County |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,912 ±$23,891 | $82,995 |
| Mean household income | $69,815 ±$8,461 | $95,286 |
| Per capita income | $28,803 ±$4,148 | $39,765 |
| People below the poverty line | 16.3% ±7.9 pts | 8.9% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 15.3% ±17.0 pts | 8.0% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 20.8% ±6.4 pts | 11.3% |
| Households with a computer | 96.3% ±2.7 pts | 97.0% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.2% ±5.2 pts | 95.1% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 8606?
Owners occupy 79.2% of Census Tract 8606's occupied homes and renters 20.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $256,500 by its owner (±$19,467). The median renter pays $1,093 a month including utilities, and 34.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 8606 | Benton Township, Lake County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $256,500 ±$19,467 | $249,800 |
| Median gross rent | $1,093 ±$100 | $1,332 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 34.8% ±20.2 pts | 27.8% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,110 ±$144 | $2,013 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 79.2% ±6.8 pts | 82.7% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 20.8% ±6.8 pts | 17.3% |
| Housing units | 3,335 ±332 | 8,072 |
| Single-family detached homes | 67.3% ±7.5 pts | 75.4% |
| Mobile homes | 19.9% ±6.1 pts | 8.2% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.0% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.9% ±4.5 pts | 1.9% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 6.9% ±4.9 pts | 5.2% |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.6% ±4.9 pts | 4.1% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 8606 get to work?
74.9% of Census Tract 8606's workers drive alone and 10.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 8.8%.
| Measure | Tract 8606 | Benton Township, Lake County |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.0% ±5.8 pts | 62.8% |
| Unemployment rate | 8.8% ±4.2 pts | 8.9% |
| Drove alone to work | 74.9% ±7.7 pts | 74.4% |
| Carpooled | 10.9% ±5.4 pts | 11.9% |
| Public transportation | 3.1% ±4.1 pts | 2.0% |
| Walked | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 10.3% ±5.6 pts | 10.6% |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.9 min ±3.5 | 28.9 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 8606 compare with the other tracts in Lake County?
Among Lake County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 8606 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Lake County |
|---|---|
| Population | 6th of 159 |
| Residents per square mile | 80th of 159 |
| Median household income | 146th of 155 |
| Per capita income | 136th of 159 |
| Median home value | 104th of 154 |
| Median gross rent | 120th of 138 |
| Poverty rate | 22nd of 84 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 141st of 154 |
| Median age | 66th of 159 |
| Owner-occupied share | 76th of 155 |
The tracts next to it on Lake County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 8641.10 | 143rd | $61,379±$16,875 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 8609.03 | 144th | $58,894±$17,957 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 8629.01 | 145th | $58,125±$28,455 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 8606 | 146th | $55,912±$23,891 |
| Tract 8631 | 147th | $55,729±$19,628 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 8603.01 | 148th | $53,194±$20,515 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 8630.04 | 149th | $51,513±$17,627 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 8606?
1 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 8606 on this page carries a coefficient of variation over 40% and is marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections