Waukegan, IL

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Detailed pages on related topics: Waukegan travel • Waukegan mortgage and property.

Overview
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Local
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Waukegan, Illinois

Introduction to Waukegan, Illinois

Waukegan is situated along the shore of Lake Michigan in Lake County. It's located approximately midway between Chicago and Milwaukee. Although he was born in Chicago, the city of Waukegan is recognized as the hometown of the famous comedian Jack Benny. A statue of him is situated downtown.

History

The municipality is recognized as one of the earliest communities in the state. It began as a French trading base and a Potawatomi Indian settlement called Little Fort. In 1829 the Potawatomi signed a treaty which relinquished their land to the Federal Government.

In 1849 the town was renamed Waukegan. The name translates to "fort" in the Potawatomi language. The early residents utilized the area as a port to ship produce and grains to Chicago. Due to the arrival of the railroad in 1855 the city developed into a manufacturing center.

Attractions

Genesee Theatre offers concerts, musicals and comedy acts.
Jack Benny Center for the Arts.
Marytown/National Religious Shrine features beautiful stain glass windows and large, attractive mosaics.
Kenosha Military Museum.
Great Lakes Naval Museum showcases numerous artifacts and memorabilia regarding the history of the Navy. Tours of the Great Lakes Naval Training Center are provided.
Bowen Park Theater & Opera Companies.
Waukegan Community Players.
Cuneo Museum & Gardens is a historic mansion featuring Italianate architecture, situated on a large acreage which includes a variety of gardens.
Waukegan Harbor.
Waukegan Yacht Club.
Lake County Discovery Museum includes the Vortex Roller Coaster Theater and a beautiful forest area.
Temple Lipizzans.

Activities

Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy the recreational trail which traverses through town. The Waukegan Municipal Beach features a sandy shoreline and natural dunes. The beach provides opportunities for swimming, volleyball, picnicking and other activities. The Illinois Beach State Park is another popular destination. The Bonnie Brook Country Club, Greenshire Golf Course and the Midlane Golf Resort are some of the popular locations for golf enthusiasts.

Waukegan Beach and Bowen Park located on the shoreline of Lake Michigan provide a great opportunity to view migrating hawks, a variety of shorebirds, ducks and passerines. The Chain O' Lakes State Park is a large acreage which provides excellent nature trails, opportunities for camping, horseback riding, canoeing, rafting and other activities.

Transportation

The city is home to the Waukegan Regional Airport. The Metro offers transportation from Waukegan to Chicago by way of the Union Pacific North Line. Pace offers bus service in the city and nearby areas.

High Points

Waukegan strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Illinois):

Category	Trophy
Racial Diversity (vs. Peers)	Top 2%

Comparative Profile of Waukegan, IL

Comparing Waukegan to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Illinois (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Racial Diversity
Children Under 5 Years Old
Male Share of the Population
Well-Paid Single Men
Senior Citizens
Age of the Population
Female Share of the Population

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Average Household Size
Portion of People Married

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Median Family Income
People Above Poverty
People in Middle Class or Better
College Educated Adults

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Public Transportation Use
Walking and Biking to Work
Short Commute Times
Working at Home

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
Affordability of Rents
People Living Alone
Housing Recently Built
Affordability of Property Taxes
Seasonal and Vacation Housing

Detailed pages on related topics: Waukegan travel • Waukegan mortgage and property.

Category	Value
Nearest Large City	36 miles N of Chicago, Illinois
County	Lake
Standard Zip Codes	60085, 60087
P.O. Box Zip Codes	60079
Phone Area Codes	847
Time Zone	Central (-6 hours from GMT)
Daylight Savings	The city observes Daylight Saving Time.
Latitude	42.364
Longitude	-87.844

Station	WAUKEGAN
Distance	2.2 miles
Jan Temp	12 to 29 F
Apr Temp	36 to 55 F
Jul Temp	61 to 82 F
Oct Temp	41 to 62 F
Annual Precip	34 inches

Station	LAKE VILLA 2 NE
Distance	12.3 miles
Jan Temp	12 to 28 F
Apr Temp	36 to 56 F
Jul Temp	62 to 82 F
Oct Temp	42 to 60 F
Annual Precip	35.5 inches

Station	CHICAGO BOTANICAL GARDEN
Distance	16.2 miles
Jan Temp	14 to 30 F
Apr Temp	37 to 56 F
Jul Temp	63 to 83 F
Oct Temp	42 to 63 F
Annual Precip	36.8 inches

Category	Count	Percent
Total Population	87,901	100%
Male	44,621	50.8%
Female	43,280	49.2%
Under 18	26,553	30.2%
18+	61,348	69.8%
65+	6,947	7.9%
Median Age	29
Average Family Size	3.68
White	44,073	50.1%
African-American	16,890	19.2%
Asian	3,146	3.6%
American Indian & Alaskan	471	0.5%
Other	20,185	23%
Mixed Race	3,079	3.5%
Hispanic (included in categories above)	39,396	44.8%

Category	Value
Est. 2005 Population	91,396
Growth	3,495
Growth %	4%

Ancestry	Percent
Other (often includes Hispanic and African American)	68.3%
German	6.9%
Irish	3.4%
Polish	2.8%
US/American	2.4%
English	2.3%
Italian	2.3%
Swedish	1.2%
French (except Basque)	0.8%
African	0.8%
Norwegian	0.7%
Finnish	0.6%
Scottish	0.5%
Lithuanian	0.5%
Slovene	0.5%
Belizean	0.5%
Scotch-Irish	0.4%
Greek	0.4%
Croatian	0.4%
British	0.3%
Danish	0.3%
Armenian	0.3%
Jamaican	0.3%
Dutch	0.3%
Russian	0.2%
Ghanian	0.2%
European	0.2%
Canadian	0.2%
Austrian	0.2%
French Canadian	0.2%

Location	Pop.	Median Family Income (2000)
Waukegan	87,901	$47,341
Beach Park	10,072	$65,064
Gurnee	28,834	$88,932
Lake Bluff	6,056	$124,674
North Chicago	35,918	$40,485
Park City	6,637	$42,387
Zion	22,866	$50,378

Library
Waukegan P.l. 128 N. County Street Waukegan, Illinois (847) 623-2041 Library Web Site

(As of 2005)
Waukegan & Lakehurst 780 Lakehurst Rd.

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Additional Details

Waukegan Hotels & Travel
Waukegan hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation.

Waukegan Mortgage
Waukegan property, mortgage, and real estate.

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Historic Waukegan

Court House and Soldiers' Monument (Waukegan) ca. 1900

Select a photo to view (Source):

Court House and Soldiers' Monument (Waukegan) ca. 1900

C. & N.W. Ry. i.e. Chicago & North Western Railway station ca. 1900

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