Waukegan, IL
Union Pacific North72 min to the Loop
62
Walk Score
42
Transit Score
1
Cars needed
72m
Commute to Loop
Estimated annual true-cost factors
Based on an example $2,500/month housing cost, 1 car needed, and a 72-minute commute to the Loop via Union Pacific North.
Property tax varies by address. Use the calculator for a precise estimate including your local rate.
About Waukegan
Waukegan is Lake County's biggest city and its most underestimated: a working harbor on Lake Michigan, a historic downtown slowly refilling, the beautifully restored Genesee Theatre, and lakefront land that planners have eyed for decades. Ray Bradbury's Green Town was this town, and the bones of it are still visible.
Metra's UP North line ends its practical range here, about 90 minutes to the Loop, so this is not a daily downtown commute for most people, and the true-cost math prices that time honestly. Housing is deeply affordable, especially for lake proximity. Waukegan suits people who work in Lake County's own job centers and want Lake Michigan at the end of the street for a fraction of North Shore prices.
Waukegan offers moderate transit access: a single car per household is usually sufficient. One car typically covers the gap that transit leaves.
At roughly $12,000/year for 1 car, transportation is a moderate line item in Waukegan's true cost. Combined with a 72-minute commute valued at $15,000/year, the true cost of suburban living in Waukegan can significantly exceed what the rent or mortgage alone suggests.
Compare Waukegan to a Chicago neighborhood
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