Once an area occupied by farmland and open fields, the village of Lake in the Hills has been growing rapidly since the 1990s. The highly rated schools bring people to the village, while the close-knit community, conveniences and parks keep them around. “Lake in the Hills has a tight-knit and family-oriented community,” says Sharon Gidley, a local real estate agent with RE/MAX Suburban. “Neighbors here are close to one another, and well-cared-for lawns are common.”
Tall oaks and pines line the residential streets here, and most homes sit close together on quarter-acre lots. Many houses in the area were built in the mid-to-late 20th century, with bi-levels, cozy cottages and modern traditional homes being common sights throughout the village. The average listing price in the area is $275,000, with some waterfront homes with five bedrooms and around 3,000 square feet reaching prices of $400,000 and above. “With waterfront homes, you can expect a price increase of around 20%,” Gidley says.
All public schools in Lake in the Hills earn Niche ratings of A-minus or higher. Lake in the Hills Elementary School, home of the Leopards, serves the community's youngest learners. Westfield Community School serves students in kindergarten through the eighth grade and earns above average ratings from GreatSchools in the categories of test scores and student progress. Middle Schoolers will find a large selection of extracurricular offerings, including chamber orchestra, crochet club, cross country and jazz band. Harry D Jacobs High School earns an impressive A grade from Niche and serves over 2,000 students. Learners here can participate in the Accelerate College Program, which allows seniors to take courses full time at Elgin Community College while earning both high school and college credit, without having to pay college tuition.
Most of the waterfront homes sit on the shores of Woods Creek Lake, which is lined by sandy beaches and parks. Indian Trail Beach is a popular spot for sunbathing and swimming throughout the summer months, and, after going for a dip, visitors can enjoy a picnic under the beach's covered pavilion. There are also a number of lakeside parks where locals can launch their canoe or kayak for a drift out on the water. Just north of the village’s residential streets is the Lake in the Hills Fen Conservation Area, home to over 400 acres of meadows, wetlands and prairies. Visitors can walk along the one-and-a-half-mile grassy trail as they stroll past beautiful yellow, white and purple blooms.
After working up an appetite from a day in the outdoors, stop by Sal’s Pizza Company, which has been serving the Lake in the Hills area for over 40 years. Patrons of Sal’s can enjoy thin crust and deep-dish slices alike, or savor Italian inspired sandwiches and pasta dishes. When it comes to your day-to-day essentials, locals can drive along Randall Road to find a selection of big-box stores like Lowe’s, Costco and Jewel-Osco, along with a large selection of fast-food chains.
When looking to explore the city, locals can hop on the blue line for the fifty-mile ride to downtown Chicago.
Erin Koertgen
RE/MAX All Pro - St Charles
(224) 628-7821
551 Total Sales
3 in Lake In The Hills
$285K - $330K Price Range
Jordan Mansk
Great Western Properties
(630) 880-0611
69 Total Sales
3 in Lake In The Hills
$277K - $330K Price Range
Laurie Arslani
eXp Realty, LLC
(630) 339-5210
56 Total Sales
4 in Lake In The Hills
$380K - $560K Price Range
Jeffrey Padesky
Real Broker, LLC
(847) 241-1543
74 Total Sales
4 in Lake In The Hills
$241K - $340K Price Range
Laura Catrambone-Gerace
Coldwell Banker Stratford Place
(224) 507-7159
200 Total Sales
1 in Lake In The Hills
$229,900 Price
Stewart Ramirez
E- Signature Realty
(844) 338-5136
338 Total Sales
5 in Lake In The Hills
$189K - $410K Price Range