Gages Lake, IL — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Illinois·Gages Lake

Lake County · Chicago-Naperville-Elgin · population 10,637

Small-town feel
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
78
Hot
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Gages Lake stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 5.5% in the last year.

Median home $333,194
1-year +5.5%
5-yr CAGR +7.0%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$333k$178k$234k$290k$347k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
25/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
58/100
Workable for remote workers
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
77 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
74 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Home 10-yr CAGR
66 · w10%
Long thesis

Gages Lake has held up across the cycle: home values at $333,194 with +7.0% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Gages Lake's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Gages Lake

Gages Lake is a city in Lake County, Illinois, with an estimated population of 10,637. It anchors the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area. The median home value in Gages Lake is $333,194 as of 2026-04, up 5.5% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.0% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. The composite momentum score is 78 of 100 (Hot). Buyers should expect competition and limited negotiation room in this market.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +7.0% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +5.5% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Thin housing market: small population means fewer transactions and slower resale. Liquidity risk on exit.
○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

Playbook

Buyer

Expect competition, escalation clauses, and pressure to waive inspections. Make your strongest offer up front — Hot markets reward decisiveness, not negotiation. If you can't write a clean offer, you may not be the best fit for this market right now.

Seller

Price slightly above recent comps and let multiple offers work. Days-on-market should be short. Don't accept the first offer in the first 48 hours unless it's significantly above ask.

Investor

Cap rates will look ugly in a Hot market — your thesis has to be appreciation, not yield. Don't expect cash flow; expect to ride the trend and exit before it stalls.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Lake County right now.

NWS active alerts (IL)Illinois Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Lake County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

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Run the numbers for Gages Lake

ToolCan I afford Gages Lake?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Gages Lake rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Gages Lake to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolGages Lake cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
33° / 18°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
85° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
189
~52% of year
Annual precip
38″ rain
22″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Gages Lake listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
71%
Humid climate
Median household income
$78,400
Illinois state median
Top industries (state-level)
FinanceManufacturingHealthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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