Crystal Lake
Main Beach on the lake, a downtown theater and two Metra stops.
Downtown Crystal Lake · Cosmo1976, Public domain
To the Loop
43mi
Straight-line miles from downtown Crystal Lake.
Metra
2 stations in town.
County
McHenry
About 20 square miles.
ASG here
0
Homes we list here now.
Living here
Life in Crystal Lake.
Crystal Lake is the largest city in McHenry County, named for the lake southwest of its downtown. Downtown, at the Metra station, has the Raue Center for the Arts in a restored historic theater, and the park district runs beaches on the lake and large parks across town.
Main Beach and West Beach sit on Crystal Lake, Veteran Acres Park and Sterne's Woods have trails through woods and prairie, and Lippold Park is the park district's largest at about 300 acres.
Near the lakeBig parksArts and cultureLocal shopping streetsEasy without a car
The homes
What you'll find.
Older homes on the blocks near downtown and the lake, postwar ranches and split-levels, two-story homes from the 1980s and 1990s, lakefront homes, and townhomes and condos.
Single-family homesLakefront homesTownhomesCondos
Getting around
How far is everything?
Metra stops at Crystal Lake and Pingree Road stations on the Union Pacific Northwest (UP-NW) line, toward downtown Chicago. Route 14, Route 31 and Route 176 cross the city, and I-90 is a short drive south. Pace buses run local routes.
Straight-line miles. Tap one to draw it on the map. No train times; check Metra for schedules.
Places to know
Start here.
- Lake and riverMain BeachThe park district beach on Crystal Lake.
- Arts and cultureRaue Center for the ArtsA downtown theater with concerts, comedy and plays.
- ShoppingDowntown Crystal LakeShops and restaurants on Williams Street near the station.
- ParksVeteran Acres ParkHills, woods and Sterne's Woods nature trails.
- Lake and riverThree Oaks Recreation AreaTwo lakes in former quarries, with a beach and a trail.
- ParksLippold ParkThe largest park in the city, with fields and trails.
For sale now
On the market in Crystal Lake.
Live from MRED through our home search. ASG listings open their own page; the rest open in our home search. Sources
Nearby
Around Crystal Lake.
Questions
Good to know.
What is Crystal Lake known for?
Crystal Lake is the largest city in McHenry County, named for the lake southwest of its downtown. Downtown, at the Metra station, has the Raue Center for the Arts in a restored historic theater, and the park district runs beaches on the lake and large parks across town.
What kind of homes are in Crystal Lake?
Older homes on the blocks near downtown and the lake, postwar ranches and split-levels, two-story homes from the 1980s and 1990s, lakefront homes, and townhomes and condos.
How do you get to Chicago from Crystal Lake?
Crystal Lake is about 43 miles from the Loop as the crow flies. Metra stops at Crystal Lake and Pingree Road stations on the Union Pacific Northwest (UP-NW) line, toward downtown Chicago. Route 14, Route 31 and Route 176 cross the city, and I-90 is a short drive south. Pace buses run local routes.
Which school districts serve Crystal Lake?
Most of Crystal Lake is served by Crystal Lake Community Consolidated School District 47 and Community High School District 155. District lines do not always follow town lines, so check the district for any address. We do not rank schools; the Illinois Report Card has each school's own data, and we're happy to look one up with you. Open the Report Card.
What towns are near Crystal Lake?
The closest towns with our guides are McHenry, Lake Barrington, Wauconda and Volo.
Looking in Crystal Lake?
Let us show you around.
Our agents know Crystal Lake street by street. Tell us what you're after and we'll line up the homes, on the market and off it.
Sources
Written by our team from public sources. Places change; call ahead.
- Homes for sale
- Live MRED listings, distributed by MLS GRID.
- News
- Google News, linked to each outlet.
- Boundaries
- U.S. Census Bureau, TIGERweb
- Metra
- Metra. Distances are straight-line.
- Schools
- We don't rank schools: Illinois Report Card
Photo credits 4
- Downtown Crystal Lake Cosmo1976, Public domain
- Moraine Hills State Park James Conkis, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bangs Lake StepfordWiki, CC BY 4.0
- Volo Bog State Natural Area Paul R. Burley, CC0
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, under the licenses shown.
Listings are deemed reliable but not guaranteed. We describe places, homes and transit, not the people who live there.