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CITY · 2020 ACS

Waukegan

Illinois · 89,321 residents · 24.217 sq mi
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The short version

Waukegan has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $53,778. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 20% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 33%. Median home value is $140,300. At a median age of 33.7, residents skew younger than the country as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 33.7
US median: 38.8
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
More affordable
home values down 21%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
89,321
+2%since 2000
from 87,901 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
33.7
+16%since 2000
from 29.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
67K74K80K86K92K1990201020202024Waukegan
202489K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 56.6%(5,851)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97.1%(6,300)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 147.9%(7,081)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 197.9%(7,054)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.7%(6,885)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414.7%(13,116)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4413.7%(12,199)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.9%(11,541)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6411.2%(10,024)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 746.6%(5,895)
US avg: 10%
75 to 842.7%(2,455)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1%(920)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$53,778
−15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,335 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$24,827
+43%since 2000
from $17,368 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
32.8%
+5.6 ptssince 2009
from 27.3% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
15.5%
+1.6 ptssince 2000
from 13.9% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade17.3%
US avg: 10%
Information12.8%
US avg: 11.1%
Finance & insurance6.2%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical5.7%
US avg: 4.7%
Wholesale trade4.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services4.4%
US avg: 6.6%
Transportation & warehousing4.1%
US avg: 2.5%
Public administration3.5%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.1%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$140,300
−21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $118,700 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$976
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $647 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
47.1%
−9.4 ptssince 2000
from 56.5% in 2000
52.9% rent
Afford Score
2.6
−24%since 2009
from 3.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Waukegan on RentDataNow
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%
2020
White, non-Hispanic15.7%(14,003)
Black16.4%(14,647)
Hispanic / Latino59.5%(53,103)
Asian5.1%(4,576)
Other3.3%(2,920)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican42.8%(37,341)
Central American4.4%(3,862)
Honduran2.9%(2,533)
Puerto Rican2.6%(2,290)
Salvadoran1%(848)
Colombian0.5%(452)
Guatemalan0.5%(438)
Dominican0.2%(159)
Peruvian0.2%(140)
Ecuadorian0.1%(127)
Spaniard0.1%(77)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Cuban0.1%(56)
Chilean0%(17)
Asian origin
Filipino3.1%(2,705)
Asian Indian2%(1,707)
Chinese0.3%(250)
Korean0.2%(163)
Cambodian0.2%(143)
Japanese0.1%(92)
Vietnamese0.1%(69)
Thai0%(31)
Pakistani0%(23)
Taiwanese0%(19)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(18)
Ancestry
German5.4%(4,698)
Irish3.6%(3,134)
Italian2.8%(2,468)
American2.3%(1,987)
English2.2%(1,950)
Polish1.9%(1,680)
West Indian1.7%(1,473)
Swedish1%(835)
French0.8%(707)
Jamaican0.6%(515)
Norwegian0.6%(480)
+ 38 more ancestry groups with data
Scottish0.5%(478)
Slovene0.4%(351)
Palestinian0.4%(344)
British0.4%(327)
Russian0.4%(327)
Greek0.3%(302)
Lithuanian0.3%(271)
Danish0.3%(253)
Dutch0.3%(228)
Czech0.2%(207)
Croatian0.2%(206)
Scotch-Irish0.2%(191)
Finnish0.2%(144)
Romanian0.2%(139)
Welsh0.1%(115)
Ukrainian0.1%(102)
Ghanaian0.1%(100)
Swiss0.1%(87)
Syrian0.1%(83)
Iranian0.1%(81)
Hungarian0.1%(68)
Canadian0.1%(67)
Austrian0.1%(66)
Portuguese0.1%(53)
Brazilian0.1%(49)
Belgian0.1%(47)
Armenian0.1%(44)
Nigerian0%(29)
Iraqi0%(28)
Turkish0%(27)
Serbian0%(25)
Slovak0%(24)
Latvian0%(23)
Egyptian0%(13)
Arab0%(12)
Haitian0%(6)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest German population · Largest Central American population · Largest Irish population · Largest Filipino population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
19.8%
+3.6 ptssince 2000
from 16.3% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
77.5%
+11.0 ptssince 2000
from 66.5% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
6.5%
+1.0 ptssince 2000
from 5.5% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
27.1 min
+48%since 2000
from 18.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
72.2%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 70.9% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
9.8%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
7.2%
−4.3 ptssince 2011
from 11.5% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
68.6%
−1.5 ptssince 2011
from 70.1% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Management & professional
26.6%
−25.8 ptssince 2009
from 52.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.9%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 52.1% in 2009
Female
50.1%
+2.2 ptssince 2009
from 47.9% in 2009
Foreign born
29.3%
−4.1 ptssince 2009
from 33.4% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
15.2%
−62.7 ptssince 2013
from 77.9% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Marital status (2024)
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
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WAUKEGAN VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Waukegan, Illinois?

Waukegan, Illinois has about 89,321 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Waukegan, Illinois?

The typical household in Waukegan, Illinois earns about $53,778 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 $140,300, and the typical rent is about $976 a month.

How educated are people in Waukegan, Illinois?

About 19.8% 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 15.5% 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 19,929 residents, a change of about 29 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →