Lake Forest was ranked among the best places to live in Lake County.
Lake Forest was ranked among the best places to live in Lake County.
Buffalo Grove, Long Grove and Bannockburn earned the three top spots on a ranking by the website Niche.com of the best places to live in Lake County.
The analysis, which is based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, FBI, Bureau of Labor Statistics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, graded communities by examining factors such as public education, crime statistics, housing trends, jobless rates and quality-of-life indicators.
The three top locations in Lake County all scored “A+” grades for their overall score and public education grade, according to the analysis.
Niche.com ranks universities, schools, neighborhoods and businesses using what it says are detailed data sets and feedback from communities around the nation.
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The 50 Most Livable Communities in Lake County
| Rank | City / Community | Overall Grade | Public Schools Grade | Population |
| 1 | Buffalo Grove | A+ | A+ | 41,329 |
| 2 | Long Grove | A+ | A+ | 7,978 |
| 3 | Bannockburn | A+ | A+ | 1,325 |
| 4 | Vernon Hills | A+ | A+ | 26,259 |
| 5 | Highland Park | A+ | A+ | 29,731 |
| 6 | Libertyville | A+ | A+ | 20,480 |
| 7 | Riverwoods | A+ | A+ | 3,656 |
| 8 | Deerfield | A+ | A+ | 18,930 |
| 9 | Lake Forest | A+ | A+ | 19,219 |
| 10 | Kildeer | A+ | A+ | 4,014 |
| 11 | Hawthorn Woods | A+ | A+ | 8,047 |
| 12 | Green Oaks | A+ | A+ | 3,851 |
| 13 | Lake Bluff | A+ | A+ | 5,612 |
| 14 | Lincolnshire | A+ | A+ | 7,469 |
| 15 | Tower Lakes | A+ | A+ | 1,205 |
| 16 | North Barrington | A+ | A+ | 2,974 |
| 17 | Lake Zurich | A+ | A+ | 19,970 |
| 18 | Grandwood Park | A+ | A | 5,261 |
| 19 | Deer Park | A+ | A+ | 3,668 |
| 20 | Gurnee | A+ | A | 30,854 |
| 21 | Mundelein | A+ | A | 31,683 |
| 22 | Lake Barrington | A | A+ | 5,069 |
| 23 | Grayslake | A | A | 21,195 |
| 24 | Third Lake | A | A | 1,133 |
| 25 | Knollwood | A | A+ | 1,820 |
| 26 | Gages Lake | A | A | 9,862 |
| 27 | Forest Lake | A | A+ | 1,451 |
| 28 | Port Barrington | A | A+ | 1,514 |
| 29 | Lake Villa | A | A- | 8,762 |
| 30 | Wauconda | A | A- | 13,754 |
| 31 | Lindenhurst | A | A | 14,495 |
| 32 | Wadsworth | A- | A- | 3,584 |
| 33 | Highwood | A- | A+ | 5,361 |
| 34 | Antioch | B+ | B+ | 14,305 |
| 35 | Volo | B+ | A- | 4,750 |
| 36 | Round Lake | B+ | B | 18,489 |
| 37 | Winthrop Harbor | B+ | B- | 6,767 |
| 38 | Hainesville | B+ | B | 3,656 |
| 39 | Fox Lake | B+ | A- | 10,606 |
| 40 | Venetian | B | A | 2,870 |
| 41 | Beach Park | B | C | 13,534 |
| 42 | Round Lake Beach | B | B | 27,692 |
| 43 | Round Lake Heights | B- | B | 3,208 |
| 44 | North Chicago | B- | D+ | 30,011 |
| 45 | Round Lake Park | B- | B+ | 8,057 |
| 46 | Long Lake | B- | B | 3,415 |
| 47 | Waukegan | B- | C+ | 87,571 |
| 48 | Zion | B- | C+ | 24,047 |
| 49 | Fox Lake Hills | B- | A- | 2,198 |
| 50 | Channel Lake | B- | B+ | 1,470 |
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