Chicago & Cook County → Lake County, Indiana and The Flatlands
Chicago to Indiana, by the numbers
Lake County, Indiana sits just across the state line from Chicago, and the land, lakes and small towns of The Flatlands run south from there along I-65. Here are the taxes, the commute and the paperwork side by side, every figure linked to its source, from a broker who grew up in Lake County.
The numbers, side by side
Income, property and sales tax: Illinois vs. Indiana
| Illinois / Cook County | Indiana / Lake County | |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax (2026) | 4.95% flat source | 2.95%, scheduled to drop to 2.90% in 2027 source |
| County income tax | None | Lake 1.5% · Newton 1.0% · Jasper 2.864% (from Oct. 1, 2026) source |
| Property tax limit on your home | No overall cap. Cook County bills are figured from 10% of market value, times the state multiplier, times the local tax rate. source | Capped by the Indiana Constitution at 1% of gross assessed value for a homestead (2% other residential and farmland, 3% other), except voter-approved levies source |
| Recent Cook County bills | Residential bills rose 5.34% for tax year 2025, the 32nd straight year total billing went up source | Same 1% homestead cap applies every year source |
| Estimated effective residential rate | Chicago about 1.69%; suburban Cook towns studied ran 1.83% to 4.74% (2022, before exemptions, Civic Federation) source | No more than 1% for a homestead under the cap, before credits source |
| Homestead help | Homeowner and senior exemptions reduce assessed value source | Homestead deduction plus a new credit of 10% of the bill (up to $300). The standard deduction is phasing down from 2026 while the supplemental deduction grows (2025 law, SEA 1) source |
| Sales tax | Chicago 10.5% from Aug. 1, 2026 source | 7% statewide, no local sales tax source |
General information, not tax advice. Indiana county income tax rates can change in January and October; property tax depends on the parcel, deductions and the local levies. I'll pull the actual tax history for any address you're considering.
Getting back to the city
The commute back to the city
- The South Shore Line's Monon Corridor opened March 31, 2026, with stations at Hammond Gateway, South Hammond, Munster Ridge and Munster/Dyer. source
- Rush-hour direct trains from Munster/Dyer to Millennium Station take roughly 45 minutes to an hour; off-peak trips transfer at Hammond Gateway. source
- Double Track NWI added 14 weekday trains in May 2024; limited-stop express trains reach Chicago in about 57 minutes from Dune Park. source
- By car: Crown Point is about 45 miles from the Loop and Lowell about 50–55 miles, by I-90/94 and I-65 (approximate; traffic varies).
Where to look
Where to look on the Indiana side
South Lake County
Lowell
I-65 and SR 2, new neighborhoods selling, Tri-Creek schools, and the John Deere center going up at the interchange.
Lake County
Crown Point
The county seat. New construction in Crown Point schools, checked by parcel.
Lake Country
Lake homes
Cedar Lake, Lake Shafer, Lake Freeman, Bass Lake and Koontz Lake: size, school line, sewer and flood checks.
Jasper County
DeMotte & Wheatfield
Kankakee Valley schools, new building lots and the AWS project near Wheatfield.
Land
Acreage & farmland
Room to spread out: land and farms across The Flatlands, with a free farm-value check.
You would not be the first
Cook County to Lake County is a well-worn road
- In 2015–2019, more of Lake County, Indiana's domestic in-movers came from Illinois than from anywhere else: 11,778 of 22,292, about 53%, with more than half of those from Cook County (Census county-to-county flows, analyzed by economist Micah Pollak). source
- Illinois is the top source of people moving into Indiana in IRS migration data. source
After you move
Your first 60 days in Indiana
- Driver's license. Get an Indiana license within 60 days of moving. New residents get a Real ID; bring proof of Social Security number and two proofs of Indiana address. source
- Title and plates. Title and register your vehicle within 60 days, with a VIN inspection, or a penalty applies. source
- Homestead deduction. File it once you own and live in the home. In Lake County, file on or before Dec. 31 of the year you apply; it applies to the next year's taxes, and your address must match your Indiana license. source
- Register to vote. Register at your new Indiana address through the state's voter portal; check deadlines there. source
- Income tax in the move year. Moving mid-year usually means a part-year return in both Illinois and Indiana. Ask a tax professional how to split it.
Start with your list
Tell me what you need on the Indiana side. I'll reply the same day.
Where you work now, how you'll commute, what you want (a yard, acreage, a lake, new construction), and your budget. I'll check the school district by township, water and sewer, the flood map and the taxes for any address before you sign.
Douglas Willems · Broker · Flatland Real Estate LLC · licensed Indiana real estate brokerage · Lake County, Indiana
Sources
- https://illinoiscomptroller.gov/__media/sites/comptroller/assets/File/PayrollBulletins/Payroll%20Bulletin%201-26%20-%20Illinois%20State%20Income%20Tax%20Exemptions%20-%202026.pdf
- https://www.in.gov/dor/resources/tax-rates-and-reports/rates-fees-and-penalties/
- https://WWW.IN.GOV/dor/files/dn01.pdf
- https://www.in.gov/dlgf/files/user-guides/251113-Fact-Sheet-Circuit-Breaker-Caps.pdf
- https://www.in.gov/dlgf/files/2026-memos/260527-Cockerill-Memo-Legislation-Affecting-Deductions-Credits-and-Exemptions.pdf
- https://www.cookcountyassessoril.gov/glossary
- https://tax.illinois.gov/research/news/2025-cook-multiplier-news.html
- https://civicfed.org/sites/default/files/2024-10/ESTIMATED%20EFFECTIVE%20PROPERTY%20TAX%20RATES%202013-2022.pdf
- https://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/2026/08/24/cook-county-treasurer-maria-pappas-report-property-tax-bills-rise-32nd-consecutive-year
- https://tax.illinois.gov/research/publications/bulletins/fy-2026-34.html
- https://www.in.gov/dor/business-tax/county-tax-information/
- https://mysouthshoreline.com/south-shore-line-announces-opening-of-monon-corridor-service-and-new-train-schedule/
- https://mysouthshoreline.com/south-shore-line-announces-implementation-of-new-double-track-train-schedule/
- https://regioneconomist.substack.com/p/northwest-indiana-population-migration
- https://secure.in.gov/bmv/2558.htm
- https://lakecountyin.gov/departments/auditor-exemptions/instructions-to-file-property-deductions
Last checked October 2026. Drive times are estimates.