Chsd 155, IL - District Data

Original Research by School Decision on Chsd 155

Community High School District 155 serves about five thousand students across four high schools in McHenry County, with enrollment split nearly evenly across grades nine through twelve. The district spans multiple communities including Crystal Lake, Cary, and surrounding areas, creating a geographically dispersed suburban footprint where housing values range widely depending on location.

The student body is predominantly white, with a meaningful Hispanic population making up roughly one in five students. Asian students comprise a smaller share, while Black and multiracial students are present in modest numbers. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility and counts of special-education and English-learner students were not available, so a parent seeking those specifics should contact the district directly.

State testing data for the 2023-24 school year was not reported for this district, so traditional proficiency measures are unavailable. This absence is typical for many Illinois high school districts, as the state does not mandate uniform end-of-course testing at the high school level the way it does for elementary and middle grades. Without those benchmarks, families cannot compare CHSD 155's academic standing against other county districts using standardized proficiency metrics. A parent interested in student achievement should inquire directly with schools about course offerings, AP access, college placement outcomes, or internal assessment practices.

Chronic absenteeism in the district sits below the midpoint among McHenry County's districts, a favorable position that suggests classroom attendance and engagement are not outlier concerns. Per-pupil spending is in the upper range for the county, meaning the district invests substantially more per student than the county median, a point that may reflect curricular breadth, staffing, or facility investment.

The district operates four comprehensive high schools: Cary-Grove, Crystal Lake Central, Crystal Lake South, and Prairie Ridge, plus Haber Oaks Campus, which serves alternative and special needs populations. This structure gives families multiple school choices within the district, each with its own course catalog and extracurricular offerings.

Starting in the 2024-25 school year, all CHSD 155 juniors now take the ACT as the state accountability assessment, replacing the SAT used in prior years. This shift is permanent through 2030 and affects college-entrance planning and test preparation strategies families may have previously followed.

The district recently approved a multi-year facilities investment, with up to a substantial sum in alternate revenue bonds to renovate theaters and sports stadiums across all four high schools. Theater renovations began in summer 2025, and stadium work is slated for completion by summer 2029. For families weighing extracurricular and athletic participation, these upgrades represent a meaningful reshaping of facilities and programs over the coming years.

The district has also established an International Newcomer Academy housed at Crystal Lake Central, designed for multilingual students new to the United States. Students participate for at least a year, with the option to graduate from Crystal Lake Central, making this a dedicated pathway for English learners entering the district.

Housing in the district's service area reflects suburban variety. The median home value sits in the mid-range, with substantial variation by community: Barrington is significantly higher, while McHenry and Woodstock trend lower. Rental prices are moderate and stable. The current housing market shows healthy supply relative to demand, with active listings and median days on market pointing to a balanced seller-buyer environment. Affordability metrics place monthly mortgage costs and rent-to-income ratios at levels consistent with regional suburban norms.

For parents evaluating CHSD 155, the practical question hinges on school choice within the district, program fit, and facility quality tied to the ongoing renovation timeline. Without published state proficiency data, direct contact with individual high schools about curricular depth, AP course breadth, or college-going rates becomes essential to gauge academic rigor and outcomes.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

5,340

Grades

09–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 21%

Black 2%

White 72%

Asian 3%

Two+ 1%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

Schools in this District

5 schools are officially reported under this district.

Cary-Grove Community High School

Crystal Lake Central High School

Crystal Lake South High School

Prairie Ridge High School

Haber Oaks Campus

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$396,028

Year-over-year change+4.8%

Range across 9 ZIP codes$312K to $711K

vs. state typical1.36x

vs. national typical1.08x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (9 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
60014	Crystal Lake	$366K	+4.4%	36.1%
60012	Crystal Lake	$485K	+5.7%	25.8%
60013	Cary	$377K	+4.7%	20.2%
60098	Woodstock	$338K	+4.4%	4.9%
60156	Lake in the Hills	$376K	+3.6%	4.9%
60050	McHenry	$312K	+5.0%	4.6%
60021	Fox River Grove	$358K	+5.1%	2.3%
60142	Huntley	$423K	+2.7%	1.2%
60010	Barrington	$711K	+6.8%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,266/mo

Year-over-year change+2.4%

Range across 6 ZIP codes$1,555 to $2,680/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (6 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
60014	Crystal Lake	$2,258	+2.1%	36.1%
60013	Cary	$2,538	—	20.2%
60098	Woodstock	$1,555	—	4.9%
60156	Lake in the Hills	$2,268	+4.4%	4.9%
60050	McHenry	$1,897	—	4.6%
60010	Barrington	$2,680	—	0.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,998/mo

Home price / national median income4.7x

Annual rent / national median income32.5%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$268/mo

Market Activity: McHenry County

Median listing price$423,450

Median listing price YoY+0.8%

Median price per sq ft$211

Median price per sq ft YoY+4.5%

Median days on market33.0 days

Median days on market YoY+4.8%

Active listings422

Active listings YoY-12.8%

New listings448

New listings YoY-3.5%

Pending listings612

Pending listings YoY-9.6%

Hotness: median listing price$421,748

Hotness: median listing price YoY+1.7%

Supply score90.8

Supply score YoY+1.2%

Demand score84.4

Demand score YoY-1.7%

Median listing price (12 months)

Median price per sq ft (12 months)

Median days on market (12 months)

Active listings (12 months)

New listings (12 months)

Pending listings (12 months)

Hotness: median listing price (12 months)

Supply score (12 months)

Demand score (12 months)

Comparison

State typical home value$290,210 (+4.9% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Academic Performance
Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.