schoolsbycounty

Lake County Schools & Education

School Score

76/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Higher Signal

Graduation Rate

90.6%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

90.6%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 88.8%

Per-Pupil Spending

$12,962

National avg $13,239

State avg $9,250

School Score

76/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 63/100

State Score Position

#21

of 102 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Lake County

Measured School Summary

Lake County has a higher measured school signal with a school score of 76/100 and a graduation rate of 90.6%, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-score inputs.

Funding Context

With $12,962 per pupil, Lake County has adequate funding that generally covers core educational needs and some supplemental services.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 20% above the Illinois average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 1.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 40% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Lake County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

208 public schools and 49 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

76/100

Higher measured signal. Ranks #21 of 102 Illinois counties with school score data.

Completion

90.6%

1.8 pts above the state average

Funding context

$12,962

$3,712 above the state average

School coverage

208

49 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county screens well on the combined school metrics available here. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Lake County has 208 public schools across 49 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Lake County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Large multi-district county

Lake County has many school records across many districts. County averages are only the opening screen; neighborhood-level assignment and grade-band fit matter more here.

State position

#21

of 102 Illinois counties with school score data. The county score is 13 points above the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 96% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Waukegan CUSD 60

Elementary to high school visible

13,679 students

Elementary 15Middle 5High 1Other 1

22 listed schools in this county slice.

Round Lake CUSD 116

Elementary to high school visible

6,330 students

Elementary 6Middle 2High 2Other 1

11 listed schools in this county slice.

Lake Zurich CUSD 95

Elementary to high school visible

5,626 students

Elementary 5Middle 2High 1Other 0

8 listed schools in this county slice.

Woodland CCSD 50

Elementary and middle visible

4,695 students

Elementary 3Middle 1High 0Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Waukegan CUSD 60 is the largest listed district slice, with 22 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Lake County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Lake County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Which schools are missing enrollment or ratio fields, and does the district publish a newer local profile than the NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data?

Comparison context

Compare Lake County With Nearby School Markets

Lake County appears in curated regional school comparisons where parents commonly weigh county lines, housing tradeoffs, commute, and district boundaries before narrowing to individual schools.

Chicago area

Cook County vs DuPage County vs Lake County Schools

This comparison separates the broader Cook County signal from two common suburban alternatives parents often evaluate around Chicago.

Compared with

Cook County, IL and DuPage County, IL

Current leader

DuPage County, IL at 89/100

Graduation-rate leader: DuPage County, IL at 94.3%

Education Overview

About Schools in Lake County, Illinois

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

A Massive Network of Suburban Excellence

Lake County maintains a robust educational infrastructure with 208 public schools serving 118,820 students. This sprawling network is managed by 49 distinct school districts and includes 115 elementary, 45 middle, and 30 high schools.

Home to Massive Districts and Selective Options

Waukegan CUSD 60 leads the county with 13,679 students across 22 schools, while Round Lake CUSD 116 serves over 6,300 students. Charter schools represent a small fraction of the landscape, with only 4 campuses making up less than 2% of the total school count.

Large Suburban Campuses Define the Experience

With 200 schools classified as suburban, the county offers a quintessential large-school experience where the average enrollment is 639 students. Adlai E Stevenson High School stands as the largest institution with 4,489 students, creating a collegiate atmosphere for local teens.

School Overview

Total Schools

208

in Lake County

Reported Enrollment

118,820

200 schools reporting

School Districts

49

districts

Charter Schools

4

2% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary115
Middle45
High30
Other18

208 Public Schools in Lake County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 22 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 20 of 208 matching schools

Adlai E Stevenson High School

Adlai E Stevenson HSD 125

Lincolnshire, 60069 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High4,489 students

Waukegan High School

Waukegan CUSD 60

Waukegan, 60085 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High4,355 students

Warren Township High School

Warren Twp HSD 121

Gurnee, 60031 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High3,758 students

Barrington High School

Barrington CUSD 220

Barrington, 60010 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,802 students

Round Lake Senior High School

Round Lake CUSD 116

Round Lake, 60073 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,258 students

Mundelein Cons High School

Mundelein Cons HSD 120

Mundelein, 60060 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,212 students

Zion-Benton Twnshp Hi Sch

Zion-Benton Twp HSD 126

Zion, 60099 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High2,113 students

Grant Community High School

Grant CHSD 124

Fox Lake, 60020 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,837 students

Libertyville High School

CHSD 128

Libertyville, 60048 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,811 students

Lake Zurich High School

Lake Zurich CUSD 95

Lake Zurich, 60047 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,804 students

Highland Park High School

Twp HSD 113

Highland Park, 60035 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,739 students

Woodland Middle School

Woodland CCSD 50

Gurnee, 60031 / Suburb: Large

Profile6–8Middle1,668 students

Vernon Hills High School

CHSD 128

Vernon Hills, 60061 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,505 students

Deerfield High School

Twp HSD 113

Deerfield, 60015 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,483 students

Wauconda High School

Wauconda CUSD 118

Wauconda, 60084 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,460 students

Lake Forest High School

Lake Forest CHSD 115

Lake Forest, 60045 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,438 students

Woodland Elementary

Woodland CCSD 50

Gages Lake, 60030 / Suburb: Large

Profile1–3Primary1,425 students

Grayslake Central High School

Grayslake CHSD 127

Grayslake, 60030 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,419 students

Lakes Community High School

CHSD 117

Lake Villa, 60046 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,317 students

Antioch Comm High School

CHSD 117

Antioch, 60002 / Suburb: Large

Profile9–12High1,309 students

Additional School Profiles

Dedicated profile pages are generated for a subset of public schools with broad enrollment coverage. All other schools remain listed in the county table.

2 more profiles

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$12,962

State avg $9,250

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Lake County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Illinois counties have the highest graduation rates?
Edwards County (97.0%), Hamilton County (97.0%), and Johnson County (96.3%) currently lead Illinois among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Illinois?
Across Illinois counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $9,250. The highest current county values are Lake County ($12,962), DuPage County ($12,349), and Jo Daviess County ($12,337). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Lake County?
Lake County has a school score of 76/100, which is a higher measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Lake County?
The high school graduation rate in Lake County is 90.6%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Lake County spend per student?
Lake County spends $12,962 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Lake County, Illinois — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Lake County, Illinois?

Lake County maintains a robust educational infrastructure with 208 public schools serving 118,820 students. This sprawling network is managed by 49 distinct school districts and includes 115 elementary, 45 middle, and 30 high schools.

What are the major school districts in Lake County, Illinois?

Waukegan CUSD 60 leads the county with 13,679 students across 22 schools, while Round Lake CUSD 116 serves over 6,300 students. Charter schools represent a small fraction of the landscape, with only 4 campuses making up less than 2% of the total school count.

What is the school experience like in Lake County?

With 200 schools classified as suburban, the county offers a quintessential large-school experience where the average enrollment is 639 students. Adlai E Stevenson High School stands as the largest institution with 4,489 students, creating a collegiate atmosphere for local teens.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.