Lakes / Illinois / Effingham County / Lake Sara
Lake Sara, Illinois
553.02 acres
Surface Area
Where It Sits, and How Deep It Goes
Locator - Illinois
39.14 degrees N, 88.64 degrees W - Effingham County. State and county outlines drawn from Census boundary data; the lake marker is placed by its USGS National Hydrography Dataset coordinates, not by eye. Schematic - not a survey map.
How Lake Sara Stacks Up
- Larger than 87% of the 511 lakes counted in Illinois.
- The largest lake in Effingham County among those counted.
- About 70 miles from Springfield, as the crow flies.
Lakes Nearby
| Lake | County | Distance | Surface Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Pauline | Effingham | 3.8 mi | 34.1 acres |
| Altamont Reservoir | Effingham | 8.2 mi | 42.26 acres |
| Lake Nellie | Fayette | 13 mi | 54.08 acres |
| Lake Mattoon | Cumberland | 18 mi | 907.62 acres |
| Patterson Lake | Clay | 18 mi | 28.91 acres |
| Lake Paradise | Coles | 22 mi | 173.96 acres |
Straight-line distance between lake centers.
Facts and Figures
Questions About Lake Sara
How Big Is Lake Sara?
Lake Sara covers 553.02 acres in Effingham County, Illinois.
What Is the Largest Lake in Effingham County?
Lake Sara is the largest lake in Effingham County, at 553.02 acres.
Largest Lakes in Illinois
| # | Lake | County | Surface Area | Max Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlyle Lake | Clinton | 22,796.77 acres | - |
| 2 | Mine Number 21 Reservoir | Franklin | 17,062.04 acres | - |
| 3 | Upper Peoria Lake | Woodford | 15,460.64 acres | - |
| 4 | Lake Shelbyville | Shelby | 10,235.1 acres | - |
| 5 | Crab Orchard Lake | Williamson | 7,292.57 acres | - |
All 511 Illinois lakes ranked by surface area
Sources: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (The National Map) lake data (ID 151829805). Verified October 30, 2026.