The Town FilesWinthrop Harbor, Illinois
Village in Lake County · population 6,705 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $250,800
- Household income
- $95,690
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 36 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 53.4
Winthrop Harbor is a village of 6,705 people in Lake County, Illinois. The median home is worth $250,800, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 75% of Illinois towns.
How Winthrop Harbor ranks
Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Winthrop Harbor is worth $250,800, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $95,690, which is more affordable than 35% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,313 a month. 87.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Winthrop Harbor | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $250,800 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,313 | $960 |
| Median household income | $95,690 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 87.3% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Winthrop Harbor
| People | Winthrop Harbor | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.4 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.8% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 15.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.2% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 9.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.0% | — |
| Work from home | 11.2% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.5% | 90.4% |
Weather in Winthrop Harbor
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 16.0°F. About 35.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 36.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 132 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Winthrop Harbor since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on September 28, 1972 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 14, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 15, 2025.
Severe weather in Lake County since 1996
Lake County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| May 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| June 24, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1771: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lake County
Lake County had 329,354 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $91,042 a year. Unemployment was 5% in 2023; in Winthrop Harbor itself the ACS puts it at 9.9%.
Public schools in Winthrop Harbor
2 public schools with 603 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westfield School | PK-4 | 352 | 14.1 |
| North Prairie Jr High | 5-8 | 251 | 12.6 |
Towns near Winthrop Harbor
- Zion, IL1.8 mi · 24,655 people · home $183,800
- Beach Park, IL3.5 mi · 14,249 people · home $245,800
- Pleasant Prairie, WI4.4 mi · 21,250 people · home $360,400
- Wadsworth, IL5.3 mi · 3,517 people · home $378,900
- Kenosha, WI7.8 mi · 99,986 people · home $225,200
- Waukegan, IL8.0 mi · 89,321 people · home $190,900
- Park City, IL9.3 mi · 7,885 people · home $57,400
- Gurnee, IL9.4 mi · 30,706 people · home $344,300
Winthrop Harbor questions
Is Winthrop Harbor, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Winthrop Harbor scores better for retirees than 52% of Illinois towns and quieter than 57%. 22.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.4).
How much does a house cost in Winthrop Harbor?
The median owner-occupied home in Winthrop Harbor is valued at $250,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $95,690, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $1,313 a month.
What is the weather like in Winthrop Harbor?
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 16.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.3 inches of precipitation a year and 36.2 inches of snow.
Does Winthrop Harbor get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Winthrop Harbor since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on September 28, 1972. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)