Total enrollment
117,662
-1,792 (-2%) vs SY 2020-21
Lake County
Illinois · Public K-12
Lake County reports 214 public K-12 schools and roughly 118,032 students enrolled, per NCES, with a mix of 132 elementary, 45 middle, and 35 high.
4-year change in Lake County
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25School count
185
0 (0%) vs SY 2020-21
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
How Lake County ranks
Among counties| Measure | This county | In Illinois | In the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 118,032 | #3 of 89 | #75 of 2,745 |
| Number of schools ranked most first | 186 | #3 of 89 | N/A |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 12.9:1 | #38 of 89 | #868 of 2,655 |
| Free or reduced-price lunch share ranked highest first | 54.3% | #28 of 89 | #1,393 of 2,526 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 67.8% | #6 of 89 | #192 of 2,707 |
Counties need at least 3 schools and 1,000 students to be ranked. Test proficiency is ranked within the state only, since each state gives a different test. Each rank links to the full list.
Lake County school rankings
Residents
714,223
all ages · ACS 5-yr
Schools
214
51 districts
Enrollment
118,032
students · NCES CCD
Median income
$110,416
Above Illinois avg
Free/reduced lunch
54.3%
Above Illinois avg
Elementary
132
51,559 students
Middle
45
25,424 students
High
35
41,049 students
Combined / other
2
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
Waukegan CUSD 60
13,640 students · 51 districts in Lake County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Lake County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
47.7%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
5.8%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
5.2%
civilian labor
Median age
39
23.3% under 18
Test scores in Lake County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 144 schools ranked. Illinois state average: 51.0%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- Daniel Wright Jr High School· 90.4%
- Sheridan Elem School· 89.5%
- Lake Zurich Middle - S Campus· 88.4%
- Spencer Loomis Elementary School· 88.2%
- Copeland Manor Elem School· 87.8%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- Evelyn Alexander School· 3.4%
- Clearview Elem School· 10.7%
- North Elem School· 11.5%
- Edith M Smith Middle School· 13.0%
- West Elementary School· 13.0%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE Alternative Prog of Lake Co | Vernon Hills | High | 06-12 | 0 | · |
| Round Lake ALOP | Round Lake | High | 06-12 | 0 | · |
| Round Lake Transition Center | Round Lake | High | 12-12 | 0 | · |
| Wauconda CUSD 118 ALOP | Wauconda | High | 09-10 | 0 | · |
| Arbor Academy | Highland Park | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Cyd Lash Academy | Gages Lake | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Ed & Life Skills Transition | Highland Park | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Fairhaven School | Mundelein | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Gages Lake School | Gages Lake | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Green Bay School | Highland Park | Combined | M-M | · | · |
| John Powers Center | Vernon Hills | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| SEDOL Sector Programs | Gages Lake | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| South School | Mundelein | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
| Transition | Vernon Hills | Elementary | M-M | · | · |
Cities in Lake County
Waukegan23 schoolsVernon Hills15 schoolsHighland Park14 schoolsMundelein14 schoolsGrayslake9 schoolsZion9 schoolsBuffalo Grove8 schoolsLibertyville8 schoolsRound Lake8 schoolsAntioch7 schoolsDeerfield7 schoolsGages Lake7 schoolsGurnee7 schoolsLake Forest7 schoolsLake Villa7 schoolsLake Zurich6 schoolsNorth Chicago6 schoolsIngleside5 schoolsWauconda5 schoolsBeach Park4 schoolsLincolnshire4 schoolsHawthorn Woods3 schoolsLong Grove3 schoolsRound Lake Beach3 schoolsBarrington2 schoolsFox Lake2 schoolsGreat Lakes2 schoolsHainesville2 schoolsLake Bluff2 schoolsLindenhurst2 schoolsRound Lake Heights2 schoolsWadsworth2 schoolsWinthrop Harbor2 schoolsBannockburn1 schoolHighwood1 schoolIsland Lake1 schoolNorth Barrington1 schoolOld Mill Creek1 schoolRound Lake Park1 schoolSpring Grove1 school
About Lake County
In Illinois, Lake County is a population-heavy county of about 714,223 residents. 214 public schools across the county serves about 118,032 students between them.
Stepping back, census numbers show median household income runs near $110,416, about 48% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and the poverty rate is around 6%. That income level is 57% noticeably above the Illinois median.
In terms of grade levels, Lake County spans 132 elementary schools (51,559 students), 45 middle schools (25,424), 35 high schools (41,049), and 2 combined or other schools.
Waukegan CUSD 60 dominates the local landscape, accounting for roughly 13,640 students on its own.
Trend over the past 4 years. Across the same 4-year window, public-school enrollment stayed largely flat: 119,454 students in SY 2020-21 versus 117,662 in SY 2024-25.
Within the allk12 community for this area, the community for Lake County discusses sports rivalries, cross-district programs, and shared facilities. Anyone with firsthand knowledge of these schools is welcome to weigh in.
Frequently asked questions
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data