City of Lake Forest, IL

LAKE FOREST MOST RECENT CENSUS DATA HIGHLIGHTS:
Total Population: 19,367 (Census 2020)
Median Age: 47.4 (ACS 2016-2020)
Total Number of Households: 7,203 (ACS 2016-2020)
Average Household Size: 2.56 (ACS 2016-2020)
Total Number of Housing Units:  7,671 (Census 2020)
Percent of Population Age 25 and Older with Bachelor's Degree or Higher: 81.2% (ACS 2016-2020)
Median Household Income: $189,118 (ACS 2016-2020)
Per Capita Income: $98,058 (ACS 2016-2020)
Median Owner Occupied Housing Unit Value: $818,000 (ACS 2016-2020)

LAKE FOREST POPULATION GROWTH 1860-2010:


Demographic data is collected from the Census and the American Community Survey.  The decennial census occurs every 10 years, in the years ending in "0," to count the population and housing units for the entire United States. Its primary purpose is to provide the population counts that determine how seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are apportioned.  Census figures also are required to draw congressional and state legislative district boundaries, to allocate federal and state funds, to formulate public policy, and to assist with planning and decision-making in the private sector. The decennial census provides detailed information on:

• Population
• Age
• Sex
• Race and ethnicity
• Housing
• Household characteristics and relationships

The American Community Survey (ACS) is a survey of a sample of the United States population conducted by the Census Bureau to gather data on education, employment, income, ancestry, and detailed housing data. Prior to 2010, this information was collected as part of the decennial census, however that data is now collected through the ACS which is sent to households continuously over the course of a year. The ACS averages all the data it collects over a given time-period – either 1-, 3-, or 5-years depending on the size of a place – to provide estimates for a place. For the City of Lake Forest, estimates are provided using a 5-year average. The American Community Survey provides, in addition to all the subjects covered in the census, detailed information on:

• Education
• Geographic Mobility
• Detailed Housing Characteristics
• Employment
• Income
• Commuting