Waukegan, IL · standard
ZIP Code 60085
Lake County, Illinois - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 71,714
- 1,842/sq mi High-density area
- $66,793
- Median income Near-median income area
- $177,400
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 18.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Waukegan pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure and unusually populous area.
- 41st pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 37th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,842
- people per sq mi
- 48%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 60085 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 60085 (Waukegan, IL) rose +7.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 171.6 in 2023 to 184.8 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 60085 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Waukegan, Lake County, Illinois, with 71,714 residents across 38.9 square miles, a density of 1,842 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 60085 reports a modest median household income of $66,793 (17% below the average Illinois ZIP), while per-capita income is $29,337. The poverty rate is 16.5%, with unemployment at 6.1%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $177,400 (8% below the average Illinois ZIP) and median rent is $1,161; 48.2% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 18.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 34.6, and the average commute is 25 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Lake County, so 60085 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 60085
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Waukegan, IL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 60085.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
203 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
154 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
145 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
145 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
145 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 60085, Waukegan, IL · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
71,714
Population
38.9
Area (sq mi)
1,842
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 60085?
34.6
Median Age
51.3%
Male
48.7%
Female
34.3%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$66,793
Median Household Income
-17% vs state ZIP avg
$29,337
Per Capita Income
16.5%
Poverty Rate
6.1%
Unemployment Rate
25.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 60085 ranks nationally
Waukegan, IL household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$66,793 41st percentile higher than 41% of 30,318 US ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
26,674housing units
26,674
Total Housing Units
25,566
Occupied Units
1,108
Vacant Units
2.76
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$177,400
Median Home Value
-8% vs state ZIP avg
$1,161
Median Rent
1967
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+7.7%
YoY Change (2024)
185
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+85%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 60085 have increased 7.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +85% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.4% | 117 |
| 2021 | +9.7% | 128 |
| 2022 | +18.0% | 151 |
| 2023 | +13.8% | 172 |
| 2024 | +7.7% | 185 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 1,324 business establishments in ZIP 60085, employing approximately 20,283 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,152,984,000.
1,324
Businesses
20,283
Employees
$1.2B
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 203 | 15.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 154 | 11.6% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 145 | 10.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 145 | 10.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 145 | 10.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 109 | 8.2% |
| Construction | 101 | 7.6% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 61 | 4.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 56 | 4.2% |
| Manufacturing | 55 | 4.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 52 | 3.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 44 | 3.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 17 | 1.3% |
| Educational services | 13 | 1.0% |
| Information | 11 | 0.8% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 8 | 0.6% |
| Utilities | 4 | 0.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 60085 vs 60064 →
ZIP 60085 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 60085
Waukegan (60085)
71,714 residents
- 60031
Gurnee (60031)
37,947 residents
- 60099
Zion (60099)
31,104 residents
- 60048
Libertyville (60048)
29,095 residents
- 60087 26,978
Waukegan (60087)
26,978 residents
- 60045 20,925
Lake Forest (60045)
20,925 residents
- 60088 15,761
Great Lakes (60088)
15,761 residents
- 60064 15,407
North Chicago (60064)
15,407 residents
- 60083 9,838
Wadsworth (60083)
9,838 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 60085 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 60085 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 60045
Lake Forest (60045)
$233,125 median income
- 60048
Libertyville (60048)
$173,975 median income
- 60044
Lake Bluff (60044)
$134,724 median income
- 60083
Wadsworth (60083)
$123,125 median income
- 60031
Gurnee (60031)
$111,034 median income
- 60096
Winthrop Harbor (60096)
$95,601 median income
- 60087 $76,738
Waukegan (60087)
$76,738 median income
- 60085 $66,793
Waukegan (60085)
$66,793 median income
- 60099 $66,109
Zion (60099)
$66,109 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 60085 ranks #8 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60064 | North Chicago, IL | 15,407 | 2.2 mi |
| 60088 | Great Lakes, IL | 15,761 | 3.3 mi |
| 60087 | Waukegan, IL | 26,978 | 3.5 mi |
| 60044 | Lake Bluff, IL | 9,792 | 4.7 mi |
| 60031 | Gurnee, IL | 37,947 | 4.0 mi |
| 60099 | Zion, IL | 31,104 | 7.5 mi |
| 60045 | Lake Forest, IL | 20,925 | 7.9 mi |
| 60048 | Libertyville, IL | 29,095 | 5.8 mi |
| 60083 | Wadsworth, IL | 9,838 | 7.0 mi |
| 60096 | Winthrop Harbor, IL | 6,897 | 9.0 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 60085, both outside IL so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (71,714 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Lake County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 60085 in?
ZIP code 60085 (Waukegan) is located in Lake County, Illinois. Lake County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/lake-il.
What is the population of ZIP code 60085?
ZIP code 60085 in Waukegan, IL has a population of 71,714 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 60085?
The median household income in ZIP 60085 is $66,793, which is 12% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 60085?
The median home value in ZIP 60085 is $177,400, which is 36% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 60085?
The largest racial group in ZIP 60085 is Two or More Ethnicities at 26.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 64.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 60085?
ZIP code 60085 has 1,324 business establishments employing approximately 20,283 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 60085?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 60085 are: Retail trade (203), Accommodation and food services (154), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (145). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 60085?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 60085 increased by 7.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 85%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 60085?
In ZIP code 60085, 48.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 18.5% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 60085?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 60085 is 25.2 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 60085?
In ZIP code 60085, approximately 48.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 51.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 60085?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 60085 is 16.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 60085's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 60085 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Waukegan, IL ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.