Get to know Waukegan, IL

Waukegan is the county seat of Lake County.  Just over 40 miles north of Chicago, the city has a distinct industrial feel unlike many more residential suburbs.  It grew throughout the end of the nineteenth and into the twentieth centuries when a barbed-wire manufacturer that would later be acquired by the US Steel and Wire company set up shop in 1891.  As manufacturing left the city in the mid twentieth century, unequal wealth distribution led to labor unrest frequently.  Recent history has seen the city make substantial investments in redevelopment.  Until 2000, Waukegan had seen consistent population growth, but the last two decades have brought slight decreases in the number of residents.

Quick Facts

Population: 88,570

Median Household Income: $45,845

Median Property Value: $121,200