Waukegan, Illinois

About Waukegan

Waukegan, IL is a thriving city located in northeastern Illinois with an estimated population of 88,570. It ranks as the 10th largest city in Illinois.

Officially, Waukegan is an incorporated city with its own municipal government. The community covers 24.26 square miles, giving it a compact, walkable footprint at roughly 3,651 residents per square mile.

📰 Waukegan News Today

• SWAT team arrests man during warrant at Waukegan home as investigators find thousands of files of child sexual abuse Lake and McHenry County Scanner · Aug 6
• 1312 Greenfield Ave Unit B, Waukegan, IL 60085 Realtor.com · Aug 8
• Alondra Carlos Obituary (2026) - Waukegan, IL - The Memorial Chapel of Waukegan Legacy obituary · Jul 29
• DeVante Lamar Flowers Obituary | Tolar-Westgate Funerals & Cremations | Waukegan, IL Tribute Archive · Aug 13
• Rosemary Hoffman Obituary - waukegan, IL (1949-2026) Chicago Tribune · Aug 8

Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.

What Makes Waukegan Unique

• A top-25 city in Illinois by population (#10 of 1,294 incorporated places).
• The only place in America named Waukegan — a truly one-of-a-kind name among 32,000+ US communities.
• Positioned in northeastern Illinois, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.

Why People Love It Here

• The sweet spot: real amenities without big-city congestion.
• Local businesses and schools anchored by a stable resident base of 88,570.
• Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 4 miles.

🍽️ Where to Eat in Waukegan

• Dockside Ice Cream — ice cream
• Papa Marcos Grill And Kabob — middle eastern
• Post Marketplace Cafe — coffee shop (café)
• Quonset — pizza
• Starbucks — coffee shop (café)
• Waukegan Yacht Club — grill
• Bob & Anne's
• China Garden Restaurant — chinese
• Dockside Deli — sandwich
• Dockside Dogs — hot dog

Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🎡 Fun Things to Do

• The African American Museum at the England Manor · Museum
• Waukegan History Museum · Museum
• Waukegan History Museum at the Carnegie · Museum
• Dandelion Art Gallery · Art gallery
• The People's Choice Family Fun Center · Arcade

Attractions mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Waukegan

• Lyons Woods Forest Preserve · Nature reserve reviews ★
• Amstutz Park reviews ★
• Armory Park reviews ★
• Art Park reviews ★
• Beach Park reviews ★
• Bedrosian Park reviews ★
• Ben Diamond Memorial Park reviews ★
• Besley Park reviews ★
• Bowen Formal Garden · Garden reviews ★
• Bowen Park reviews ★
• Christine Thompson Park reviews ★
• Clearview Park reviews ★

Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.

🏫 Schools in Waukegan

• Andrew Cooke Magnet Elem School
• Carman-Buckner Elem School
• Clearview Elem School
• Edith M Smith Middle School
• Glen Flora Elem School
• Glenwood Elementary School
• Greenwood Elem School
• H R McCall Elem School
• Hyde Park Elem School
• Jack Benny Middle School
• John S Clark Elem School
• LEARN John Kathy Schreiber Chrtr
• Miguel Juarez Middle School
• Robert E Abbott Middle School

Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.

🏥 Hospitals & Healthcare

• Vista Medical Center East ★★ (2/5 CMS rating) · 24/7 ER
• Lake Behavioral Hospital · Psychiatric

Medicare-registered hospitals with official CMS star ratings.

⚡ Quick Facts

🗺️ Map of Waukegan

🏘️ Nearby Communities