Assessor’s Office
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Property Assessment Information
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Assessor’s Office FAQs
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An assessment is the property value that is officially entered in the county assessment books (sometimes called the “tax rolls”). This value is used to determine what portion of the total tax burden each property owner will bear. In Illinois, the statutory assessment level is normally one-third of the market value.
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In Lake County, most property is locally assessed by an assessment professional. We have eighteen elected township assessors who have primary valuation responsibility. The Assessor is the only Illinois elected office holder that has educational qualifications and certification requirements that must be completed before any election activities may be undertaken and must be maintained while in office.
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In Illinois, property is to be viewed, inspected, and revalued at least once every four years (this fourth year is called the general assessment year). Between the general assessment years, assessors may revalue any property whose value has changed or is incorrect. January 1 begins the assessment cycle for all real property and is valued as of that date. The last general assessment year was 2023, the next will be 2027.
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Yes. Annually Lake County’s Chief County Assessment Office (CCAO) mails out a “Blue” assessment notice to all property owners. Homeowners can expect their assessments to notice to be mailed any time from July through August. This notice displays prior year and current year assessed values, property characteristics, active homestead exemptions from the prior year, and important appeal filing deadlines.
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If you have any questions or concerns regarding your assessed value, you should always speak to your township assessor’s office first. If you are still not satisfied, you may appeal your assessed value to the Lake County Board of Review.
The Assessor’s responsibilities are to:
Discover, list and value all real property in Wauconda Township.
Ensure that each property is at a statutory level of market value (33.33%).
Assure that similar property is equitably valued.
Provide public service by teaching residents about real estate taxes, property assessments, and exemptions for which they are eligible.
Keep current records of each property (ie Sales records, property owner names and addresses, changes to property characteristics).
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This exemption lowers the equalized assessed value of the property by $8,000. To qualify, the applicant must own the property and occupy it as their primary residence as of January 1st of the tax year seeking the exemption. Only one property can receive this exemption.
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This exemption lowers the equalized assessed value of the property by $8,000. To qualify, applicants must be 65 years of age or older, be on the title to the property and occupy the property as their primary residence.
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The Senior Freeze provides limited-income seniors with protection against real estate tax increases due to rising property values. It’s not a tax freeze or a tax reduction and doesn’t protect against increased taxes due to tax rate increases. Because this exemption provides for a base year frozen assessment, it will potentially provide increased savings each year a senior is eligible. The base assessment used initially equals the assessed value from the prior year tax calculation. In subsequent years, if the new assessed value is lower than the original base value, the new lower value becomes the new base amount. To qualify, applicant must be 65 years of age or older, owned and occupied the home as their primary residence on January 1st of the past two years, and have a total gross, unadjusted household income as follows:
2025 (payable 2026): $65,000, based on household income for 2024. (No change, this is the current threshold).
2026 (payable 2027): $75,000, based on household income for 2025.
2027 (payable 2028): $77,000, based on household income for 2026.
2028 (payable 2029): $79,000, based on household income for 2027.
After the 2028 (payable 2029) tax year, the threshold remains unchanged at $79,000 unless the legislature takes action to change it; it has not been indexed for inflation.
Applicants must reapply for the exemption each year.
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This exemption lowers the equalized assessed value of the property by $2,000 and may be claimed in addition to the General and Senior Homestead Exemptions, if applicable. However, this exemption cannot be claimed in addition to the Disabled Veterans’ Standard Homestead Exemption; you can only receive one of these exemptions and, if you are a veteran you should choose to apply for the one most beneficial to you. To qualify, applicants must own or have legal or equitable interest in the property, have lived on the property on or before January 1st of the tax year, and be disabled under the Federal Social Security Act.
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This exemption provides a reduction in equalized assessed value (outlined below) of a primary residence occupied by a veteran with a disability, or the veteran's surviving spouse. This exemption can be claimed in addition to the General Homestead Exemption and the Senior Homestead Exemption. However, it cannot be claimed in addition to the Disabled Veterans Exemption (specifically adaptive housing) of $100,000, or the Homestead Exemption for Persons with Disabilities.
A disabled veteran with a 70% or higher service-connected disability will be tax exempt.
A disabled veteran with at least 50%, but less than 70% service-connected disability will receive a $5,000 reduction in the property's EAV.
A disabled veteran with at least 30%, but less than 50% service-connected disability will receive a $2,500 reduction in property's EAV.
Beginning in 2023, the Public Act 102-0895 included an end to annual reapplications for SHEVD for veterans with a combined service-connected disability rating of 100% and is deemed to be permanently and totally disabled, as certified by the United States Department of Veteran Affairs.
To qualify, applicants must:
Be a Lake County, Illinois resident and have served in the United States Armed Forces, The Illinois National Guard, or U.S. Reserve Forces, and have received an honorable discharge.
Have a total equalized assessed value (EAV) of less than $250,000
Attach documentation as outlined in the application
An un-remarried surviving spouse of a disabled veteran can continue to receive this exemption on his or her spouse's homestead property or transfer the exemption to a new primary residence. To qualify, the surviving spouse must meet the following requirement:
Sell the disabled veteran's previous homestead property before transferring this exemption to his or her new primary residence
If the surviving spouse sells the property, an exemption not to exceed the amount granted from the most recent ad valorem tax roll may be transferred to his or her new residence if it is used as his or her primary residence and he or she does not remarry.
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This exemption lowers the equalized assessed value of the veteran’s principal residence by $5,000 for up to two consecutive assessment (tax) years. This would include the tax year and the following year that the veteran returns from active duty in an armed conflict involving the armed forces of the United States.
To qualify, applicants must:
Be an Illinois resident who has served as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, Illinois National Guard, or U.S. Reserve Forces,
Have returned from active duty in an armed conflict involving the armed forces of the U.S.,
Have owned or had a legal or equitable interest in the land on which a single-family residence is situated and used as your principal place of residence on January 1 of the assessment years, and
Be liable for the payment of the property taxes.
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Under this program, up to $100,000 of the equalized assessed value of a home owned by a qualifying veteran, or the veteran's spouse, or unmarried surviving spouse is exempt from property taxes. To qualify for this exemption, you must:
Have served in the Armed Forces of the United States.
Have a disability of such nature that the Federal Government has authorized payment for the purchase or construction of housing which has special adaptations to meet the needs of your disability.
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This exemption defers, for four years, any increase in the assessment of the property due to an addition or other improvement to the home for which the Township Assessor would add value. A maximum deduction is $25,000 of equalized assessed value. To qualify, property must be the principal residence of the owner, and a permit must be taken out with owner’s Village or County Building and Zoning Department.