Lake Forest, IL vs Orland Hills, IL

The cost of living difference between Lake Forest, IL and Orland Hills, IL is dramatic. Orland Hills is 76.5% cheaper than Lake Forest, a gap that translates to thousands of dollars per year in household expenses. Lake Forest has a cost index of 175 while Orland Hills sits at 99, making this one of the more striking comparisons on our site. Relocating between these cities would require a serious reassessment of budget and lifestyle expectations.

On the housing front, median rent in Lake Forest is $2,120/month compared to $1,373/month in Orland Hills — a 54% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Orland Hills is more affordable at $262,600 median vs $909,800.

Median household income in Lake Forest is $228,120 compared to $118,281 in Orland Hills (+92.9%). While Lake Forest is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Lake Forest spend roughly 11.2% of their income on rent, less than the 13.9% in Orland Hills.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (50.8°F vs 52.1°F). Orland Hills receives more rainfall at 34.4" per year compared to 32.3" in Lake Forest.