The Chicago metropolitan area is one of the largest in the United States and continues to grow at a breakneck pace. The collar counties which surround Cook County and Chicago are seeing a huge influx of people as the areas become more suburban each year. The collar counties are seen as having better schools, lower crime, and more space to live in. However, as more people arrive to pursue the dream of homeownership, property values across the collar counties have begun to rise every year, along with the record taxes that one can expect in Illinois. Plainfield Township is one of the fastest-growing townships in Illinois. While it is a relatively long commute from Chicago, many residents find it to be worth the effort. Joliet, also in Will County, is much closer and also a great place to work. With the transformation from rural villages to bustling suburbs taking only... Read More

Will County dwarfs the majority of Illinois counties when it comes to population. A heady combination of suburban, rural, and exurban communities, Will is the most versatile and unique of the collar counties around Chicago. This has led to a diverse economy where one can find farms, urban sprawl, and mansions all within the borders of the county. There is a complicated and intertwined history with Cook County that goes back over a century, with Will County being both independent and influenced by Chicago. Unfortunately, one of the things this relationship has bestowed upon Will County is high property values and taxes. Joliet Township is the crown jewel of Will County and personifies it in a lot of ways. With the city of Joliet acting as a hub for transportation, industrial production, and suburban living, the township has a strong economy and a solid housing market. Straddling the line between... Read More

The 2023 reassessment of Cook County has stayed in the minds of taxpayers like an ever-present shadow and has been one of the most impactful events for taxpayers in Illinois as a whole. While high property taxes are the norm in Illinois, especially Cook County, 2023 was when the wheels really fell off. Targeting the southern suburbs and the urban core of Chicago itself, the reassessment saw property values rise to a staggering degree. Even worse, individual properties saw spikes as high as 500%, some even experienced a 700% increase to their taxable value. As this was aimed at most middle-class and working people, this wrought devastation on people attempting to keep their homes or businesses. It was this disaster that truly brought property tax appeals to the forefront. After it was revealed that the properties of working people and minorities were disproportionally targeted, people demanded a change. Unfortunately, politics... Read More

Lake County is becoming one of the most in-demand living areas in the country. Home to both exclusive neighborhoods and rural towns, Lake County is a microcosm of Illinois and marks a transition point between Cook County and the rest of the state. The county has long straddled two worlds, though parts of it are quickly being subsumed by Cook County or are being changed by people fleeing Chicago. This is certainly a mixed blessing, as more people bring a better economy to the region, especially high-end areas. It is transforming the culture, at least in places, and some traditional areas are under threat from gentrification. Wauconda Township is far enough on the western edge of Lake County to be outside of comfortable commuting distance from Chicago. While this has protected a lot of the small-town charm, it has been unable to keep property values from rising. While the collar... Read More

The 2025 reassessment of northern Cook County has been one for the record books. While not like the earth-shattering disaster of the 2023 reassessment of the core of Chicago, taxpayers across the north have seen ridiculous values placed on their homes and businesses. Coupled with rising tax rates, the upcoming tax bills are going to be the highest ever seen in the area. This is not a gradual ramping up of costs either, but a hard spike that is instantly transforming many properties from long-term investments to unaffordable anchors around the necks of taxpayers. Leyden Township is at the heart of these value surges. Homeowners are experiencing a 21% rise in value, while business owners are seeing an increase of 42% in total taxable value. While any exemptions in place are helping, the only alternative to lower these untenable values is a property tax appeal. These have already paid dividends... Read More