The Chain O’Lakes may be one of the busiest inland waterways in the country, but its lifestyle options are varied. Those looking for water sports without crowds can find balance at Duck Lake: a 110-acre waterway only accessible to the residents surrounding its waters. Though within walking distance to a popular Metra stop and close to major commercial areas, its air of solitude sets it apart, both on land and water. “I was out on the lake on Wednesday with some friends and we were the only ones out there, which was pretty nice,” says Holly Blanchette, broker with Lake Homes Realty’s Illinois branch. She has lived in the Duck Lake Woods community for 29 years. “You can just anchor and hang out.”
Duck Lake is part of the chain of lakes connecting 15 lakes with the Fox river and channels.
Duck Lake is a quiet neighborhood with many large deciduous trees amongst the properties.
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Waterfront properties with boat launches and more
When homes were first built in the late 1920s as vacation spots for the hardworking masses, they were strategically placed around the lake’s meandering creeks and channels, giving as many people as possible a waterfront view. Properties added through the 1960s followed suit and filled in the gaps. Now, homes in the Knollwood subdivision at the lake’s north end form a patchwork of different-sized yards and styles, connected by uneven paved roads and rounding at dead ends. The lake and its channels are visible past statement trees or around dense thickets of pine and black ash. Homes in Duck Lake Woods—the community on the southeast side—are more regularly-spaced with less tree cover, though the neighborhood is far from cookie cutter. Ranch-styles, Cape Cods and colonial styles with two-car garages sit alongside properties built from scratch by owners, all with shed space, gravel driveways or boats parked on the grass. Many channel-front and lakefront homes include personal boat launches for easy water access, though each subdivision also includes its own community boat launch, available for homeowners association members. Home prices start at $100,000 for a cottage that needs some TLC before move-in and reach up to $460,000 for a newly updated home, though listings are rare and leave the market soon after entering it. “It’s the age-old adage that they don’t make waterfront anymore, so there’s a high demand for it,” says Bob Krombach, a real estate broker with Baird & Warner who has sold homes on Duck Lake.
It is a common site to see docks at most lakefront properties on Duck Lake.
Many residents of Duck Lake have private piers or docks.
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Hopping in the boat with fishing pole or water skis in hand
Though shallow, Duck Lake is fully recreational with no limits on horsepower or motorized craft. Colorful buoys bob at the center where the lake reaches its maximum depth of 9 feet—just deep enough to dodge around the Slalom waterskiing course. The lake is also stocked with trout, large and smallmouth bass, catfish and other species for licensed fishers. It’s a viable habitat for sandhill cranes, geese, the occasional swan, and of course, ducks. And while fully recreational, it’s unlikely to be constantly teeming with human activity at any point in time. “It’s also a smaller lake, so not one where you’d go out boating all day long,” says Blanchette. For a more crowded waterway with more space to roam, residents head 3 miles north to Fox Lake and boat farther up the Chain.
Residents of the Duck Lake Woods subdivision join their voluntary homeowners association for clubhouse access to rent for parties and gatherings, as well as basketball courts and more. Getting out of the neighborhood to other parks is easy too. The paved Chain O’Lakes Bike Path runs at the center of Rollins Road—a main stretch at the neighborhood’s northeast corner—and leads to the south end of Grant Woods Forest Preserve, a 6-mile network of multiuse gravel trails through prairies and wetlands. Hikers and bikers use the trails in the summer to reach the and its canoe and kayak launch on Long Lake, snowmobilers and cross-country skiers traverse the terrain in the colder months. As for indoor recreation, the Round Lake Area Park District Sports Center hosts open gym and lends its facilities to local youth leagues, like AYSO for soccer and Nfront for track and field.
Duck Lake is located approximately 50 miles Northwest of Chicago.
Duck Lake residents can enjoy watersports at the nearby Chain O Lakes.
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Duck Lake students: From Big Hollow Primary to Grant High
Kids living in Duck Lake are zoned for Big Hollow School District No. 38, and all the schools in the district are under 4 miles away. Big Hollow Primary School serves prekindergarten through first grade and scores a B-minus from Niche, while Big Hollow Elementary School—located just down the hall for second through fourth grades --receives a B. After graduating, kids head across the street to Big Hollow Middle School, which receives a B-minus and serves fifth through eighth grades. Grant Community High School in nearby Fox Lake earns a B-plus, with students filling its 42-acre building from all over Lake County. Students learn more about their classmates and school-wide news through The Bark, a school newspaper gone digital, which is updated by kids taking Grant’s journalism courses.
Big Hollow Primary School is located near Duck Lake.
Grant Community High School is a great school for residents of Duck Lake.
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Local events for Duck Lake residents
Music and chatter floats towards Duck Lake several times each summer from the vintage Live Music & Car Show event at Millers Dog n Suds Drive In. “Throughout Lake County there’s plenty of music, bands and stuff performing all over the place, and lots of festivals,” Blanchette adds. A parade leads to a grand tree lighting finale during the Fox Lake Festival of Lights, preceded by local vendors at the Kris Kringle Market. While the Duck Lake Waterway Association is responsible for testing and managing the water quality of their lakefront, residents volunteer at trash pickups and other maintenance events of their own to keep their private slice of lake country vibrant.
Getting around Lake County by car, boat or bike
Residents can reach Round Lake by bike or float down the Chain from public boat launches, but they’ll be driving to grab groceries and secure the essentials. The nearest emergency room is at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital, 10 miles west on Big Hollow Road. It’s also fair distance to reach the nearest interstate, but once they hit Interstate 94, drivers can reach Chicago O'Hare International Airport in 41 miles. Those heading the full 54 miles into the Chicago city limits can trade a drive for an hour and a half ride on the Milwaukee District North line. “The Metra train comes right through Ingleside,” Blanchette says, “and you could technically walk there from the little rail trails that back around that area.
Duck Lake residents can use the popular biking paths along Rollins Road.
Duck Lake Woods has a private access beach that has a number of amenities.
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Groceries on Route 12, eateries throughout the region
Big-box grocers start at the intersection of Route 12 and Route 134, about 2 miles southwest of Duck Lake. Jewel-Osco and ALDI are reliable options, and handymen and women choose from Home Depot and Menards on either side of the freeway. Chain restaurants like Wendys round out the options here for a quick bite after a day on the water, though a 50-year legacy is just outside the neighborhood for a more classic experience. “You can walk right over to Miller's Dog N Suds right there,” says Blanchette of Ingleside’s signature drive in. “It’s one of those places where you hit the button on the microphone to order, and they bring your food out to you and hand the tray through the window.” Meanwhile, boaters on the larger waterway can dock at El Puerto Mexican Restaurant before sipping a margarita and watching the sunset on the large outdoor patio. Both Round Lake Beach and Grayslake also provide shopping options, the latter in a quaint, walkable downtown setting.
Duck Lake residents can shop at the nearby Jewel Osco.
Miller's Dog n Suds is a hotspot for lunch in Duck Lake.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Courtney Caraway,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Parks in this Area
Heron View Park Playground
Picnic Area
Trails
Playground
Lakefront Park
Lake
Playground
Parking Lot
Volo Bog State Natural Area
Trails
Nature Center
Parking Lot
Meadowview Park
Basketball
Picnic Area
Trails
Long Lake Park
Lake
Trails
Hiking
Whitewood Park
Pickleball
Playground
Parking Lot
GCHS Bulldog Athletic Complex
Veteran's Park
Community Garden Green
Transit
Airport
Chicago O'Hare International
55 min drive
Train
Ingleside Station
Bus
Rollins & Devlin
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Duck Lake
US
Homicide
3
4
Sexual Assault
3
4
Assault with Weapon
3
4
Robbery
3
4
Burglary
4
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
4
4
Larceny
4
4
Crime Score
4
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Duck Lake Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Duck Lake, Fox Lake sell after 24 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Duck Lake, Fox Lake over the last 12 months is $279,000, down 4% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$259,000
Median Sale Price
$279,000
Median Single Family Sale Price
$279,000
Median Change From 1st List Price
0%
Last 12 months Home Sales
5
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
-4%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$221
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
256
Median Year Built
1955
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,198
Significantly below the national average
1,933
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
33,105
Distribution of Home Values
Source: Public Records
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Courtney Caraway,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
676
Median Age
45
Population Density
2 ppl/acre
Population under 18
22.3%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
21%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$99,012
Significantly above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$138,484
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
92.9%
College Graduates
27.8%
Below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
14.3%
% Population in Labor Force
73%
Above the national average
65.1%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
38''
Average Winter Low Temperature
17°F
Average Summer High Temperature
79°F
Annual Snowfall
25''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
17/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
4/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
