What percentage of people rent in Waukegan, IL?

Name: Renters and owners in Waukegan, IL, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

49.8% (±2.4 points) of the occupied homes in Waukegan, IL are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 15,952 renting households against 16,090 that own their home.

In Waukegan, the share of households that rent went from 53.5% in 2015–2019 to 49.8% in 2020–2024 (−3.7 percentage points), a measurable decrease.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 49.8% (±2.4 points)
Renting households: 15,952 (±891)
Median renter income: $51,318 (±$4,847)

Who rents and who owns in Waukegan

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Waukegan	Lake County	Illinois	United States
Renter-occupied share	49.8% (±2.4 points)	25.2% (±0.6 points)	32.9% (±0.2 points)	34.8%
Renting households	15,952 (±891)	65,052 (±1,537)	1,657,539 (±10,322)	45,017,354
Owning households	16,090 (±844)	193,403 (±1,802)	3,378,910 (±14,728)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	2.4 (±0.1)	2.3 (±0.1)	2.2 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	3.0 (±0.1)	2.8 (±0.0)	2.6 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$51,318 (±$4,847)	$60,278 (±$2,115)	$50,420 (±$471)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$94,970 (±$4,832)	$134,561 (±$2,098)	$103,505 (±$377)	$100,009

In Waukegan, the renter share is higher than in Lake County (25.2%).

It is also higher than in Illinois (32.9%).

It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).

In Lake County, Waukegan ranks 4 of 71 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 50 of 2,751.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in Waukegan has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	53.5% (±1.8 points)	49.8% (±2.4 points)	−3.7 percentage points	Measurable decrease
Median gross rent	$960 (±$18)	$1,205 (±$38)	+25.5%	No measurable change after inflation
Median household income	$49,803 (±$2,200)	$71,919 (±$3,861)	+44.4%	Up after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Households that rent in places near Waukegan

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Waukegan
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
Waukegan	—	49.8% (±2.4 points)	—
Waukegan Township	1.2 mi	50.8% (±2.1 points)	Not measurably different
Park City	1.5 mi	37.1% (±7.2 points)	Lower
Gurnee	3.4 mi	23.9% (±2.5 points)	Lower
North Chicago	3.7 mi	67.4% (±3.7 points)	Higher
Warren Township (Lake County)	3.9 mi	26.7% (±1.7 points)	Lower
Benton Township (Lake County)	4.5 mi	17.3% (±4.4 points)	Lower
Beach Park	5.0 mi	13.2% (±3.8 points)	Lower
Green Oaks	5.2 mi	28.3% (±12.6 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Park City, IL (37.1%), Gurnee, IL (23.9%), Warren Township (Lake County), IL (26.7%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: North Chicago, IL (67.4%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that rent across Lake County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
1	North Chicago	67.4% (±3.7 points)
2	Old Mill Creek	56.3% (±17.0 points)
3	Waukegan Township	50.8% (±2.1 points)
4	Waukegan	49.8% (±2.4 points)
5	Highwood	44.0% (±11.1 points)
6 (tie)	Zion	42.2% (±4.7 points)
6 (tie)	Zion Township	42.2% (±4.7 points)
8	Park City	37.1% (±7.2 points)
9	Shields Township	34.5% (±2.8 points)
10	Vernon Hills	32.5% (±3.2 points)

Showing 10 of 71 places in Lake County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Waukegan

How many renters are there in Waukegan?

Waukegan has an estimated 15,952 (±891) renting households, 49.8% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in Waukegan?

In Waukegan, the share of households that rent went from 53.5% in 2015–2019 to 49.8% in 2020–2024 (−3.7 percentage points), a measurable decrease.

How big are renting households in Waukegan?

A renting household in Waukegan has 2.4 people on average, against 3.0 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in Waukegan?

The median renting household in Waukegan, IL has an income of $51,318 (±$4,847) a year, against $94,970 for households that own their home.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Waukegan city, Illinois (place:79293, in state:17).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.