Housing Value★★★★★★★★★★4.3 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Living in Waukegan, IL
Explore Waukegan and see how it fits the life you want to build.
Overall Match7.2 / 10
Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.
Waukegan at a Glance
Key facts and current data
Population89,076
Median Household Income$71,919
Median Home Value$190,900
Median Gross Rent$1,205
Median Age35.5
Average Household Size2.7
Unemployment6.4%
Work From Home7.6%
Homeownership50.2%
Housing Vacancy3.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.
Waukegan is a mid-sized community where local neighborhoods, nearby job centers and regional access can matter as much as citywide averages. Home values are relatively modest compared with local household income, giving the area a comparatively favorable ownership-affordability signal.
Experience the Area
Experience Life in Waukegan Before You Move
Explore Short-Term Stays in Waukegan →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate
NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in Waukegan and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.
NarrowTheList Ratings
Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.
Housing & Cost of Living in Waukegan
Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau
Median Home Value$190,900
Median Gross Rent$1,205
Homeownership50.2%
Housing Vacancy3.6%
Home values are comparatively balanced against local household income, although individual neighborhoods can still vary substantially. Renters make up a substantial share of the local housing market.
Jobs, Income & Remote Work
Employment and household-income context for Waukegan, IL
Median Household Income$71,919
Unemployment6.4%
Work From Home7.6%
The reported unemployment rate is elevated enough to warrant a closer look at current local employment conditions.
Population & Household Profile
Who lives in Waukegan and how households are structured
Population89,076
Median Age35.5
Average Household Size2.7
Waukegan is a mid-sized community where neighborhood and nearby-employment patterns can materially affect a relocation decision.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.
Climate & Weather in Waukegan
Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context
NOAA climate normals for Waukegan point to warm summers, cold winters, a wetter annual rainfall pattern and substantial annual snowfall.
Average Summer High81.7°F
Average Winter Low15.6°F
Annual Rainfall35.3 in.
Annual Snowfall43.4 in.
Seasonal Life in Waukegan
What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.
Spring
Spring is a useful time to evaluate how quickly outdoor conditions become comfortable and how seasonal rain affects everyday routines.
Summer
Summer is warm enough that shade and cooling still matter, but the typical high is below the extreme-heat range seen in many hotter U.S. markets.
Fall
Fall marks a substantial seasonal transition here. It is a useful time to judge how quickly temperatures change and whether that seasonal swing fits the lifestyle you want.
Winter
Freezing winter lows and meaningful snowfall make snow removal, winter driving, heating costs and cold-weather routines important parts of evaluating the area.
Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.
Waukegan is located in Lake County, but city-level housing, income and neighborhood conditions can differ meaningfully from countywide averages. Lake County.
County Intelligence
Waukegan & Lake County
Data Pending
Foreclosure Activity
Waukegan is located in Lake County, Illinois.
NarrowTheList uses county-level information alongside local community data because many factors that matter when choosing a place to live are measured beyond city boundaries. Housing, property taxes, employment, healthcare access and other regional characteristics can add useful context to the picture of life in Waukegan.
Current NarrowTheList data for Waukegan shows a population of about 89,076. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.
Foreclosure Activity: Data Pending. A county-specific foreclosure signal is not available yet.
For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.
County relationship
Lake County
How NarrowTheList uses it
County information is used as a supporting geographic layer, not as a substitute for local data. As more county datasets are added, NarrowTheList can use them to improve comparisons, ratings and relocation insights for Waukegan.
For someone considering a move to Waukegan, the available data currently points to comparatively attainable ownership costs relative to local income. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.
Park City, IL
1.5 miles away
Gurnee, IL
3.4 miles away
North Chicago, IL
3.7 miles away
Beach Park, IL
5.0 miles away
Green Oaks, IL
5.2 miles away
Lake Bluff, IL
6.1 miles away
Wadsworth, IL
6.3 miles away
Zion, IL
6.3 miles away
Third Lake, IL
7.1 miles away
Old Mill Creek, IL
7.2 miles away
Libertyville, IL
7.6 miles away
Winthrop Harbor, IL
8.0 miles away