Willow Lake is a community in Stephenson County, Illinois, home to about 764 people across 2.7 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 61032.
Homes sold for a median of $91 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Freeport; part is in Willow Lake
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Willow Lake. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Willow Lake’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Willow Lake well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)91 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD)28 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Madison, WI55 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL105 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Willow Lake; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
It’s the 781st largest of 1,450 towns in Illinois by population.
Stephenson County grew from 34,933 residents in 1900 to 44,630 in 2020.
Stephenson County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 82°F in summer, and winter lows average 11°F. About 38.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 35 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Freeport Waste Wtp, IL weather station (2 miles away).
15,626 jobs at 1,003 businesses in Stephenson County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
299 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Willow Lake.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 26 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 41 |
| Dentists | 24 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 47 |
| Mental health providers | 86 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 41 |
| Optometrists | 11 |
| Chiropractors | 23 |
| Pharmacies | 7 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (4 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Freeport SD 145, Carroll/Jo Daviess/Stephenson ROE. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackhawk Elem SchoolFreeport | Pre-K–4 | 361 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Center Elem SchoolFreeport | Pre-K–4 | 262 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| Empire Elem SchoolFreeport | Pre-K–4 | 295 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Lincoln-Douglas Elementary SchoolFreeport | Pre-K–4 | 325 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Jones-Farrar Intl BaccalaureateFreeport | K–6 | 350 | Public | 2.2 mi |
| Carl Sandburg Middle SchFreeport | 5–6 | 430 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| Freeport Alternative High SchFreeport | 6–12 | — | Alternative Education | 0.9 mi |
| RAP FreeportFreeport | 6–12 | — | Alternative Education | 0.8 mi |
| Freeport Middle SchoolFreeport | 7–8 | 515 | Public | 0.9 mi |
| Freeport High SchoolFreeport | 9–12 | 1,165 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Career & Tech Educ ConsortiumFreeport | 11–12 | — | Career and Technical | 0.9 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquin Elementary Junior Senior High SchoolFreeport | Pre-K–12 | 127 | Roman Catholic | 1.8 mi |
| Open Bible Learning CenterFreeport | Pre-K–3 | 37 | Pentecostal | 2.6 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Freeport.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.