Apartments for Rent in Great Lakes IL

Great Lakes, Illinois, is one of the most distinctive communities in the country, shaped almost entirely by the presence of Naval Station Great Lakes, the U.S. Navy's only active boot camp and largest training installation in the nation. Established in 1911 and sprawling across more than 1,600 acres along the western shore of Lake Michigan, the station anchors daily life here in a way few military installations do anywhere else. Known throughout the Navy as "The Quarterdeck of the Navy," the base houses the Recruit Training Command and the National Museum of the American Sailor, and its original buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Because nearly all housing on the installation serves military personnel, most off-base renters look to adjacent North Chicago, where a mix of multifamily apartment communities and single-family homes offers some of the most accessible rent levels in Illinois, well below the state average. Those seeking more surroundings find options in nearby Lake Bluff, with its own distinct character. Lake Forest College and the College of Lake County are both within a short drive, adding an academic presence to the area. Chicago O'Hare is roughly 40 minutes away, and Metra's UP-North Line connects residents directly to downtown Chicago.