CITY
Waukegan
Illinois · 87,940 residents (2025 est.) · 24.2 sq mi
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The short version
Waukegan is home to 89,076 people in Illinois. The foreign-born share is 31%. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. 50% of homes are owner-occupied. Density works out to 3,678 people per square mile. The typical home is worth $190,900, having risen by half since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 12%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
89,076
+1%since 2000
from 87,901 in 2000
87,940 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
24.2 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
202489K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55%(4,468)
5 to 97.2%(6,404)
10 to 146.3%(5,574)
15 to 197.1%(6,308)
20 to 248.2%(7,296)
25 to 3415.7%(13,969)
35 to 4413.8%(12,333)
45 to 5412.5%(11,162)
55 to 6412.1%(10,792)
65 to 748%(7,137)
75 to 843.2%(2,840)
85 and over0.9%(793)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$71,919
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,335 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
47.3%
+20.1 ptssince 2009
from 27.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade19.9%
Information11.9%
Finance & insurance6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical6.5%
Other services5.8%
Public administration4.7%
Wholesale trade4.7%
Transportation & warehousing3.2%
Arts, entertainment, food0.5%
Education & health services0.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.2%
Construction0.2%
Manufacturing0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$190,900
−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $118,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
2.7
−22%since 2009
from 3.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
36
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic30.9%(27,186)
Black18.6%(16,354)
Hispanic / Latino44.8%(39,396)
Asian3.5%(3,092)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic16.7%(14,914)
Black16.6%(14,749)
Hispanic / Latino57.9%(51,565)
Asian5.4%(4,836)
Other3.4%(3,012)
76
−5%since 2009
from 80 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican44.8%(39,880)
Central American5.1%(4,574)
Puerto Rican3.5%(3,146)
Honduran3.4%(2,991)
South American1.6%(1,443)
Salvadoran1.1%(974)
Dominican0.4%(393)
Guatemalan0.4%(359)
Colombian0.4%(344)
Cuban0.4%(343)
Ecuadorian0.4%(320)
Spaniard0.4%(316)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Argentine0.3%(265)
Peruvian0.3%(226)
Nicaraguan0.3%(224)
Venezuelan0.1%(129)
Bolivian0.1%(96)
Chilean0.1%(63)
Panamanian0%(26)
Asian origin
Filipino2.8%(2,467)
Asian Indian1.6%(1,469)
Chinese0.4%(335)
Korean0.2%(146)
Vietnamese0.1%(80)
Thai0.1%(58)
Cambodian0.1%(48)
Japanese0%(30)
Pakistani0%(28)
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0.1%(131)
Ancestry
German4.7%(4,231)
Irish3.6%(3,193)
Italian2.6%(2,303)
American2.5%(2,268)
English2.2%(1,992)
Subsaharan African1.7%(1,505)
Polish1.5%(1,296)
West Indian1.4%(1,259)
Norwegian0.7%(639)
Swedish0.7%(581)
Scottish0.6%(540)
Jamaican0.4%(380)
+ 43 more ancestry groups with data
French0.4%(344)
British0.4%(318)
Slovene0.3%(254)
Greek0.3%(242)
Arab0.2%(219)
Finnish0.2%(202)
Romanian0.2%(197)
Ghanaian0.2%(182)
Armenian0.2%(177)
Nigerian0.2%(167)
Palestinian0.2%(152)
Lithuanian0.2%(146)
Russian0.2%(144)
Czech0.2%(139)
Dutch0.1%(130)
Scotch-Irish0.1%(127)
Portuguese0.1%(122)
Haitian0.1%(115)
Croatian0.1%(113)
Ukrainian0.1%(92)
Austrian0.1%(88)
Jordanian0.1%(85)
Hungarian0.1%(85)
Slovak0.1%(85)
Welsh0.1%(72)
French Canadian0.1%(68)
Iranian0.1%(54)
Swiss0.1%(50)
Guyanese0.1%(49)
Danish0.1%(46)
Trinidadian & Tobagonian0%(42)
Kenyan0%(41)
Belgian0%(34)
Brazilian0%(30)
Bulgarian0%(29)
Egyptian0%(21)
Israeli0%(16)
Canadian0%(15)
Moroccan0%(14)
Ethiopian0%(13)
Lebanese0%(12)
Serbian0%(12)
Latvian0%(11)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
75.3%
+8.8 ptssince 2000
from 66.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
75.9%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 74.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
96.2%
+3.6 ptssince 2020
from 92.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married47.1%(17,610)
Married43.1%(16,116)
Widowed2.2%(814)
Divorced7.7%(2,885)
Women 15+
Never married39.7%(13,985)
Married43.2%(15,215)
Widowed6.4%(2,236)
Divorced10.7%(3,769)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
8.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 9.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
1.7%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
55.6%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 54.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
38.1%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 39.3% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)23.3%(615)
Gulf War (1990s)31.3%(829)
Vietnam era30.4%(804)
Korean War1.8%(48)
World War II0.3%(7)
Share of the 2,645 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Waukegan, Illinois?
Waukegan, Illinois has about 89,076 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Waukegan, Illinois?
The typical household in Waukegan, Illinois earns about $71,919 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Waukegan, Illinois expensive?
In Waukegan, Illinois, the median home is worth about $190,900, and the typical rent is about $1,205 a month.
How educated are people in Waukegan, Illinois?
About 20.9% of adults age 25 and over in Waukegan, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Waukegan, Illinois?
About 15.3% of people in Waukegan, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Waukegan, Illinois grown since 1990?
Yes, Waukegan, Illinois has grown since 1990. The population has added about 19,684 residents, a change of about 28 percent over that period.
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IllinoisDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024