Overview

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.

Demographics

People

Total Population87,571
Male Share of the Population50.3%
Female Share of the Population49.7%
Senior Citizens9.1%
Employed Population 16+41,104
Age of the Population32

Families

% of people married42.9%
Average household size3

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher17.1%
Median Earnings25+$29,629
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$21,350
Median Earnings With High School Degree$26,798

Wealth

Median Family Income$54,784
% Above Poverty Level82.5%
% Below Poverty Level17.5%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time27 minutes
% Working from Home3%
% Walking and Biking to Work1.4%
% Using Public Transportation3.6%

Housing

People Living Alone25.8%
Median Gross Rent$946
Median House Value$125,500

Ancestry

Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)70.6%
German5.4%
Irish3.5%
Italian2.2%
English2.2%
Polish2%
West Indian1.4%
Belizean1%
French Except Basque0.8%
African0.8%
Swedish0.8%
Norwegian0.7%
Arab0.5%
Scottish0.5%
Russian0.4%
Lithuanian0.4%
Dutch0.3%
Danishn0.3%
Palestinian0.3%
Finnish0.3%
Greek0.3%
Hungarian0.2%
Croatian0.2%
Jamaican0.2%
Czech0.2%
Slovene0.2%
Syrian0.1%
Luxemburger0.1%
Canadian0.1%
US Virgin Isl0.1%
Welsh0.1%
Ukrainian0.1%
Portuguese0.1%
Ghanaian0.1%
Austrian0.1%
Swiss0.1%
Romanian0.1%
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Waukegan Almanac

CategoryValue
CountyLake County
Standard Zip Codes60085, 60087
P.O. Box Zip Codes60079
Phone Area Codes224, 847
Time ZoneAmerica/Chicago
Approximate Latitude42.37
Approximate Longitude-87.86

Waukegan Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

  • Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
  • Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

StationWAUKEGAN
Distance2.2 miles
Jan Temp12 to 29 F
Apr Temp36 to 55 F
Jul Temp61 to 82 F
Oct Temp41 to 62 F
Annual Precip34 inches
StationLAKE VILLA 2 NE
Distance12.3 miles
Jan Temp12 to 28 F
Apr Temp36 to 56 F
Jul Temp62 to 82 F
Oct Temp42 to 60 F
Annual Precip35.5 inches
StationCHICAGO BOTANICAL GARDEN
Distance16.2 miles
Jan Temp14 to 30 F
Apr Temp37 to 56 F
Jul Temp63 to 83 F
Oct Temp42 to 63 F
Annual Precip36.8 inches

Nearby Cities and Towns

LocationPopulationMedian Family Income
Gurnee30,854$119,000
Lake Bluff5,612$184,635
North Chicago30,011$49,875
Zion24,047$58,339

Waukegan Public Libraries

Waukegan Public Library
128 NORTH COUNTY STREET
Waukegan, Illinois
(847) 623-2041

library logo

More Information for Librarians

Waukegan Hospitals

Waukegan Illinois Hospital Company, Llc - Dba Vista Medical Center East
1324 North Sheridan Road
(847) 360-4000
Waukegan Illinois Hospital Company, Llc - Dba Vista Medical Center West
2615 West Washington Street
(847) 360-4000
Vista Medical Center West
(Proprietary)
2615 Washington St
(847) 249-3900

Waukegan Public Schools

Andrew Cooke Magnet Elem School
522 Belvidere Rd
ZIP: 60085
(224) 303-1700
Primary
Total Enrollment 474
Carman-buckner Elem School
520 Helmholz Ave
ZIP: 60085
(224) 303-1500
Primary
Total Enrollment 731
Daniel Webster Middle School
930 New York St
ZIP: 60085
(224) 303-2760
Middle
Total Enrollment 639
Early Learning Center
1721 N Mcaree Rd
ZIP: 60085
(224) 303-1400
Primary
Total Enrollment 192
Epic - Aoec
1020 Glen Rock Ave
ZIP: 60085
(847) 360-5540
Epic - Cap
1200 W Glen Flora Ave
ZIP: 60085
(847) 599-3903
Glen Flora Elem School
1110 Chestnut St
ZIP: 60085
(224) 303-1800
Primary
Total Enrollment 502
Glenwood Elementary School
2500 Northmoor Ave
ZIP: 60085
(224) 303-2010
Primary
Total Enrollment 765
Hyde Park Elem School
1525 Hyde Park Ave
ZIP: 60085
(224) 303-1970
Primary
Total Enrollment 339
Lyon Magnet Elementary School
800 S Elmwood Ave
ZIP: 60085
(224) 303-2300
Primary
Total Enrollment 536
Miguel Juarez Middle School
201 N Butrick St
ZIP: 60085
(224) 303-2660
Middle
Total Enrollment 802
North Elem School
410 Franklin St
ZIP: 60085
(224) 303-2160
Primary
Total Enrollment 680
Robert E Abbott Middle School
1319 Washington St
ZIP: 60085
(224) 303-2360
Middle
Total Enrollment 787
Thomas Jefferson Middle School
600 S Lewis Ave
ZIP: 60085
(224) 303-2560
Middle
Total Enrollment 912
Washington Elem School
110 S Orchard Ave
ZIP: 60085
(224) 303-2220
Primary
Total Enrollment 671
Waukegan High School
2325 Brookside Ave
ZIP: 60085
(224) 303-3000
High
Total Enrollment 4476
Whittier Elem School
901 N Lewis Ave
ZIP: 60085
(224) 303-1900
Primary
Total Enrollment 703
Clearview Elem School
1700 Delaware Rd
ZIP: 60087
(224) 303-1600
Primary
Total Enrollment 739
Greenwood Elem School
1919 North Ave
ZIP: 60087
(224) 303-2080
Primary
Total Enrollment 369
H R Mccall Elem School
3215 N Mcaree Rd
ZIP: 60087
(224) 303-1760
Primary
Total Enrollment 496
Jack Benny Middle School
1401 Montesano Ave
ZIP: 60087
(224) 303-2460
Middle
Total Enrollment 611
John S Clark Elem School
601 Blanchard Rd
ZIP: 60087
(224) 303-1570
Primary
Total Enrollment 271
Little Fort Elem School
1775 Blanchard Rd
ZIP: 60087
(224) 303-3700
Primary
Total Enrollment 578
Oakdale Elem School
2230 N Mcaree Rd
ZIP: 60087
(224) 303-1860
Primary
Total Enrollment 647

Waukegan Private Schools

Academy Of Our Lady
510 Grand Ave
ZIP: 60085
Elementary
Total Enrollment 260
Immanuel Evangelical School
1310 N Frolic Ave
ZIP: 60085
Elementary
Total Enrollment 43
Lions Mathematics & Science Christian Academy
1011 Porter St
ZIP: 60085
Elementary
Total Enrollment 28
Shelia Daniels Christian Academy
422 10th St
ZIP: 60085
Elementary
Total Enrollment 27
St Anastasia School
629 W Glen Flora Ave
ZIP: 60085
Elementary
Total Enrollment 256
St Martin De Porres High School
515 S Martin Luther King Jr Ave
ZIP: 60085
Secondary
Total Enrollment 242
Lake County Baptist School
1550 W Yorkhouse Rd
ZIP: 60087
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 172
Sources :
Our Partner Listings
Historic Waukegan

photo

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

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

Additional Resources
Info for Waukegan Government Officials


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