Census tract · Lake County
Census Tract 8661, Lake County, Illinois
Census Tract 8661, GEOID 17097866100, in Lake County, Illinois, entirely within Waukegan and Waukegan Township. 3,213 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±698); the 2020 Census counted 3,433.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,213
±698 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,433
Median household income
$48,372
±$15,525 (90% margin)
Lake County: $110,416
Median home value
$164,700
±$27,589 (90% margin)
Lake County: $345,700
Median gross rent
$1,194
±$196 (90% margin)
Lake County: $1,477
Where is Census Tract 8661?
Census Tract 8661 is one of 160 census tracts in Lake County, Illinois. It covers 0.66 square miles of land, 5,225 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 17097866100, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Waukegan | 100% |
| Waukegan Township | 100% |
6 census tracts border Census Tract 8661: Tract 8617.02 ($92,702), Tract 8618.03 ($77,894), Tract 8618.04 ($70,722), Tract 8619.02 ($47,236), Tract 8620 ($73,165) and Tract 8621 ($69,713). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 8661?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 8661's population at 3,213 (±698) in 1,193 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,433 residents and 1,126 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 8661 | Waukegan |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,213±698 | 89,076 |
| Households | 1,193±197 | 32,042 |
| Average household size | 2.57±0.46 | 2.72 |
| Housing units | 1,253±191 | 33,229 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 8661?
The median resident of Census Tract 8661 is 32.5 years old; 27.7% are under 18 and 8.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 67.4%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 16.5%. 42.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 8661 | Waukegan |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.5±6.4 | 35.5 |
| Under 18 years | 27.7%±6.8 pts | 22.8% |
| 65 years and over | 8.5%±4.5 pts | 12.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 67.4%±12.2 pts | 57.9% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 7.5%±3.6 pts | 16.7% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 16.5%±8.6 pts | 16.6% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 7.7%±8.2 pts | 5.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2%±0.2 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.7%±0.9 pts | 2.7% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.6% |
| Born outside the United States | 42.5%±11.6 pts | 31.0% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 70.5%±11.0 pts | 54.1% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.8%±3.0 pts | 3.9% |
| With a disability | 6.2%±4.4 pts | 10.3% |
| No health insurance coverage | 37.1%±14.1 pts | 16.0% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 65.4%±12.3 pts | 75.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 16.3%±8.6 pts | 20.9% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.6%±5.9 pts | 7.2% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 96.0%±3.2 pts | 87.4% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 8661 earn?
Half of the 1,193 households in Census Tract 8661 earn less than $48,372 a year (±$15,525), against $110,416 across Lake County: 150th highest of the county's 155 tracts with a reliable estimate. 38.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 8661 | Waukegan |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $48,372±$15,525 | $71,919 |
| Mean household income | $54,679±$8,897 | $92,476 |
| Per capita income | $20,361±$4,369 | $33,249 |
| People below the poverty line | 38.0%±18.1 pts | 15.3% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 50.3%±25.0 pts | 24.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 30.5%±14.7 pts | 19.8% |
| Households with a computer | 96.9%±3.4 pts | 96.2% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.3%±5.9 pts | 90.0% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 8661?
Owners occupy 33.9% of Census Tract 8661's occupied homes and renters 66.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $164,700 by its owner (±$27,589). The median renter pays $1,194 a month including utilities, and 49.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 8661 | Waukegan |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $164,700±$27,589 | $190,900 |
| Median gross rent | $1,194±$196 | $1,205 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 49.0%±14.8 pts | 38.6% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,638±$198 | $1,682 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 33.9%±11.0 pts | 50.2% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 66.1%±11.0 pts | 49.8% |
| Housing units | 1,253±191 | 33,229 |
| Single-family detached homes | 42.3%±11.8 pts | 51.9% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0%±2.9 pts | 0.2% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0%±2.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0%±2.9 pts | 1.6% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 6.1%±6.6 pts | 18.3% |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.5%±6.1 pts | 8.4% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 8661 get to work?
61.7% of Census Tract 8661's workers drive alone and 6.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.7 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 8661 | Waukegan |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 75.2%±7.1 pts | 68.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 8.4%±5.9 pts | 6.4% |
| Drove alone to work | 61.7%±15.0 pts | 70.1% |
| Carpooled | 17.0%±11.2 pts | 16.1% |
| Public transportation | 2.3%±3.2 pts | 2.1% |
| Walked | 2.4%±3.1 pts | 0.9% |
| Worked from home | 6.7%±3.9 pts | 7.6% |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.7 min±3.6 | 26.1 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 8661 compare with the other tracts in Lake County?
Among Lake County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 8661 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Lake County | In Waukegan |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 122nd of 159 | 18th of 21 |
| Residents per square mile | 25th of 159 | 10th of 21 |
| Median household income | 150th of 155 | 17th of 20 |
| Per capita income | 158th of 159 | 21st of 21 |
| Median home value | 145th of 154 | 16th of 20 |
| Median gross rent | 112th of 138 | 10th of 20 |
| Poverty rate | 3rd of 84 | 2nd of 16 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 129th of 154 | 9th of 20 |
| Median age | 137th of 159 | 15th of 21 |
| Owner-occupied share | 152nd of 155 | 20th of 21 |
The tracts next to it on Lake County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 8631 | 147th | $55,729±$19,628 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 8603.01 | 148th | $53,194±$20,515 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 8630.04 | 149th | $51,513±$17,627 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 8661 | 150th | $48,372±$15,525 |
| Tract 8603.02 | 151st | $47,938±$21,016 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 8619.02 | 152nd | $47,236±$13,645 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 8623 | 153rd | $45,610±$13,085 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 8661?
1 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 8661 on this page carries a coefficient of variation over 40% and is marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections