Skip to main content
Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Waukegan, IL

Population: 89,435 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

A
90/100

Excellent fiscal health — strong reserves, low debt, well-funded pensions

Total Spending
$1.2B
Per Capita
$12,915
Total Revenue
$4.3B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Housing & Community Development
39.8%$459.2M
Other
30.1%$347.7M
Utilities
12.7%$147.1M
Public Welfare
7.6%$88.0M
Health
3.5%$41.0M
Hospitals
2.9%$33.7M
Sewerage
2.4%$27.8M
Parks & Recreation
0.9%$10.5M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
0.1%$2.8M
Intergovernmental
8.9%$385.7M
Charges & Fees
3.6%$154.6M
Other
2.2%$93.9M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Parks & Recreation$118/person
Health$458/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)100/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)96/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Waukegan stacks up against another city.

vs Chicago, ILvs Aurora, ILvs Joliet, IL
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Illinois

Chicago, IL

Pop. 2.7M

C
Total Spending
$94.0B
Per Capita
$34,551

Aurora, IL

Pop. 181K

A
Total Spending
$2.8B
Per Capita
$15,301

Joliet, IL

Pop. 150K

D
Total Spending
$2.8B
Per Capita
$18,675

Naperville, IL

Pop. 149K

D
Total Spending
$2.3B
Per Capita
$15,751

Compare Waukegan With

Chicago, IL

Spending: $34,551/person · Grade: C

Aurora, IL

Spending: $15,301/person · Grade: A

Joliet, IL

Spending: $18,675/person · Grade: D

Naperville, IL

Spending: $15,751/person · Grade: D

Frequently Asked Questions

Waukegan, IL spends $12,915 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.2B for a population of 89,435. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of A (90/100).

Waukegan, IL has total expenditures of $1.2B and total revenue of $4.3B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Waukegan, IL employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Waukegan, IL has a Fiscal Health Score of A (90/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

Last updated: