10 towns within about an hour of the main post area: drive time, rent, home values and the school district for each.
The green or red number is an E-5 with dependents' 2026 BAH ($2,427) minus that town's median 2-bedroom rent. Check your own pay grade.
E-5 BAH left over after the median rent: +$364 a month
Lake Bluff Elementary School District 65 (high school: Lake Forest Community High School District 115): 2 schools, 881 students, 11.2 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,047 a month
North Chicago School District 187: 8 schools, 3,483 students, 13.3 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$742 a month
Lake Forest School District 67 (high school: Lake Forest Community High School District 115): 5 schools, 1,657 students, 9.9 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,571 a month
Oak Grove School District 68 (high school: Libertyville Community High School District 128): 1 schools, 926 students, 12 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,280 a month
Woodland Community Consolidated School District 50 (high school: Warren Township High School District 121): 4 schools, 4,549 students, 12 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,205 a month
Waukegan Community Unit School District 60: 22 schools, 13,666 students, 15 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$760 a month
North Shore School District 112 (high school: Township High School District 113): 9 schools, 3,774 students, 11.9 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$717 a month
Libertyville School District 70 (high school: Libertyville Community High School District 128): 5 schools, 2,131 students, 12 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,267 a month
Kenosha School District: 41 schools, 18,719 students, 14.2 students per teacher. District facts
E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$507 a month
Schaumburg Community Consolidated School District 54 (high school: Township High School District 211): 28 schools, 15,074 students, 12.3 students per teacher. District facts
Updated October 12, 2026. How we get our numbers.
Lake Bluff, IL is about 8 minutes from the main post area (2.9 road miles) without traffic.
Waukegan, IL, with about 89,076 people, 17 minutes from the main post area. Bigger towns usually mean more rentals, schools and jobs to choose from.
Park City, IL, where the Census median rent is $1,110 a month (rent plus utilities, 2020-2024 average). New leases usually cost more than the median, so check current listings too.
For an E-5 with dependents the 2026 DoD BAH is $2,427 a month. That is at or above the Census median 2-bedroom rent in 9 of the 9 towns here with a Census figure for that size, with the most left over in Green Oaks, IL.
Lake Bluff Elementary School District 65, with 2 schools and 881 students (11.2 students per teacher), from the NCES Common Core of Data. Always confirm the school for a specific address with the district.