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People Statistics · City

Population of the urban area in Waukegan

1975 – 2025 · 11 data points 5 of 11 · Towns of Illinois Updated Oct 21, 2026
People · Waukegan

Source: European Commission JRC — GHSL Urban Centre Database, 1975 – 2025

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Overview 7 figures People 21 figures Economy 20 figures Housing 8 figures Education 10 figures Tourism 3 figures Climate 3 figures
Latest value · 2025 130,399 −3.2% since 2020
Towns of Illinois · 2025 5 of 11 Place 1 is the highest value.
since 2015 −0.7% +3.5% a year on average
Population of the urban area, 1975 – 2025 people · Waukegan
1975 
 
1985 
 
1995 
 
2005 
 
2015 
 
130K
2025 

Source: European Commission JRC — GHSL Urban Centre Database, 1975 – 2025

The series at a glance Waukegan · 1975 – 2025
Latest value 130,399 · 2025
First value 22,914 · 1975
Highest 134,763 · 2020
Lowest 22,914 · 1975
Average change +3.5% a year on average
Data points 11

By year

All years · 1975 – 2025

YearWaukeganChange
2025 130,399 −3.2%
2020 134,763 +2.6%
2015 131,317 +3.6%
2010 126,709 +4.4%
2005 121,411 +5.0%
2000 115,678 +39%
1995 83,474 +40%
1990 59,428 +39%
1985 42,714 +37%
1980 31,087 +36%
1975 22,914

Source: European Commission JRC — GHSL Urban Centre Database, 1975 – 2025

Ranking · Towns of Illinois

2025 · Place 1 is the highest value.

Year: 2025 2020 2015 2010 2005 2000 1995 1990 1985 1980 1975
Highest first Lowest first A–Z
#TerritoryPopulation of the urban area
1 Chicago 5.3M
2 Aurora 359K
3 Bolingbrook 280K
4 Wheaton 191K
5 Waukegan 130K
6 Joliet 96,890
7 Elgin 88,854
8 Champaign 86,488
9 Bloomington 77,177
10 Chicago Heights 66,584
11 Lake in the Hills 63,894

Source: European Commission JRC — GHSL Urban Centre Database, 2025

What it means

How many people live in the built-up city as a whole, regardless of municipal borders.

How it is calculated

Satellite maps of buildings and census data are combined into a 1 km grid; the continuous dense area of at least 50,000 people is the urban centre. Every five years from 1975; 2030 is a projection.