In court-decided eviction outcomes for Waukegan, IL, tenants prevail in roughly 20.0% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses, longer calendars, and more required documentation, and landlord-friendliness drops as this rises.
Timeline
116d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Waukegan, IL until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 116 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$4.3-13.8k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Waukegan, IL costs landlords $4,292 to $13,750 all-in, covering court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$1,205
29% stretched on rent
Average gross rent in Waukegan, IL is $1,205 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 29% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent, the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
49.8%
of households
49.8% of occupied housing units in Waukegan, IL are renter-occupied (vs owner-occupied). A higher renter share usually correlates with more eviction filings, more turnover, and a more active rental market.
Poverty
15.3%
5.3% unemp.
15.3% of Waukegan, IL residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 5.3%. Both feed into the economic-stress sub-score in our Eviction Risk Score model because rent payment problems track poverty + joblessness more reliably than any other single signal.
Time machine
Scrub 50 years
197619861996200620162026
2026
● LIVE · today◀ REPLAY · historical
Nine-axis profile
9-axis profile · today
Shape of the risk surface
1 landlord · 10 tenant
Sub-scores · with sparkline
Where the score comes from
1 → 10 scale
Local political climate
Dem margin +20.8% (2024)
5.5
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
5.5
State political climate
Illinois legislature & governorship
6.0
Economic stress
15.3% poverty · 5.3% unemp.
7.0
Supply constraint
$1,205 average · 49.8% renters
4.5
Rent Control risk
29.4% of income on rent
2.5
Eviction process difficulty
116 days filing → judgment
4.0
Tenant organizing strength
49.8% renters
4.0
Housing court bias
County bench composition
4.0
Geographic context
Risk heat across Waukegan and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Waukegan compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Lake County
Very Low
#51of 53 cities
#51 of 53 cities in Lake County for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Illinois
Elevated
#399of 1,456 cities
#399 of 1,456 cities in Illinois for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
4.9
/ 10 · MODERATE
The verdict
A Moderate-tier market.
Composite 4.9/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a sharp climb.
50-yr trend+3.2 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steepening since 2010 · COVID inflection visible
116d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $1,205/mo. A contested eviction takes 116 days and costs $4,292-$13,750 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
49.8%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 89,076 residents, 49.8% rent. 29% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 15.3% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
5.5
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 5.5 and 5.5 (Dem margin +20.8% (2024)). State climate at 6, a mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
6
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 6/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies, and it shows up in the process. Eviction process difficulty reads 4, housing court bias 4, rent-control risk 2.5. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-1.0 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
7
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the background risk.
Economic stress: 7. Supply constraint: 4.5. The numbers behind those: 15.3% poverty, 5.3% unemployment, 29% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Waukegan sits in the slow & expensive quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Waukegan · 116d · ~$9.0k all-in ($78/day) · score 4.9National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0-4 4-7 7-10
Landlording in Waukegan, Illinois, presents a manageable operating environment for documented landlords. The Eviction Risk Score is 4.9/10 (MODERATE tier), drawn from the nine sub-axes shown above, covering rent-control exposure, eviction-process difficulty, housing-court bias, tenant-organizing strength, supply constraint, economic stress, and local, regional, and state political climate. This is not a quick-fix market: it's a Mid-tier market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Waukegan is a city of 89,076 residents where 49.8% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 29.4% of income on rent. At an average rent of $1,205/month, the typical renter household here spends more than the federal 30% threshold on housing, a leading indicator of payment volatility and a precondition for the kinds of tenant defenses that show up most often in housing court.
01Process
How Waukegan eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 4/10, a number that combines statutory complexity (notice categories, just-cause rules, mandatory pre-filing disclosures) with operational realities (court calendar length and clerk responsiveness). The typical contested filing in Waukegan closes 116 days after the initial notice. For non-payment of rent the first step is a properly-formatted, properly-served pay-or-quit notice; for material lease breaches it's a cure-or-quit; for tenancies under just-cause protection an at-fault grounds notice (or a no-fault notice with statutory relocation assistance) is required.
The slow part of Waukegan's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 4/10 here, meaning judges read borderline procedural defects in the tenant's favor more often than the national norm. The practical implication: every notice and every proof of service needs to be airtight before it gets filed.
02Cost
What it costs (and how long it takes)
An all-in eviction in Waukegan runs $4,292 to $13,750 per case once you account for filing fees, attorney time, lost rent during pendency, sheriff lockout, and unit turnover. That range is wide because the upper bound assumes a tenant answer plus motion practice, common when housing court bias is high. The lower bound assumes a default judgment after proper service.
For landlords running the numbers on holding costs vs. cash-for-keys: if your projected timeline times your monthly rent already exceeds the high-end cost number, cash-for-keys at 1-2 months' rent is typically the economically rational choice. With 116 days of typical timeline and $1,205/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 4/10 in Waukegan, and the city has limited rent control exposure (2.5/10). Operations practice that survives audit in this environment looks like:
Screening discipline. Document income (verified at 2.5 to 3x rent), credit (with a clear minimum), and prior-tenancy reference checks, but do not screen on protected categories or source-of-income where banned. Keep a written, consistent screening criteria document for every applicant.
Lease specificity. Use a state-specific lease that names every term clearly: rent due date, late fees within statutory caps, deposit handling, smoke and CO disclosure, lead paint disclosure (pre-1978 stock), and a clean attorney's-fees clause.
Security deposit handling. Itemize deductions within the statutory window. Photograph move-in/move-out condition. In Illinois, deposit cap and refund window are statute, so exceed them at your own risk.
Mid-tenancy documentation. Keep date-stamped records of every rent receipt, every habitability request, every notice served. The day you need them in court is too late to start.
04Strategy
What an everyday landlord should actually do here
If you own one to four units in Waukegan: hire a property manager who knows the local court. The pricing differential between self-managing and hiring out is small relative to the cost of one botched eviction in a MODERATE tier market. If you own five or more: build relationships with a local landlord-side attorney before you need one, since retainer fees are negligible compared to emergency-rate billing when an eviction is already moving.
The avoidable mistakes here are all upstream of the filing: weak screening, an informal lease, sloppy rent receipts, and notice templates pulled off the internet that don't match Illinois's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $13,750 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Waukegan
Trap · PRACTICAL TRAP
Cost-versus-timeline trade-off: at 116 days and roughly $13,750 on the high end, cash-for-keys at $5,500 to $8,250 typically beats the legal route for non-aggravated cases. Default judgment frequency is high under ILCS preemption + Chicago RLTO.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
Can I evict a tenant in Waukegan for having an unauthorized pet?
Yes, if your lease specifically prohibits pets or requires prior approval, and the tenant violates that clause. You would typically issue a notice to cure the breach (e.g., remove the pet) within a specific timeframe (often 10 days in Illinois). If they don't comply, you can then proceed with a termination notice and eviction filing. Ensure your lease language is very clear on pet policies.
Q2
What if my Waukegan tenant pays part of the rent after I've given them a 5-day notice?
Be very careful here. In Illinois, accepting a partial payment after issuing a 5-day notice can waive your right to evict based on that specific notice. It implies you've re-established the tenancy. If you want to proceed with eviction, do not accept any partial payments. If you accept payment, you typically need to issue a *new* 5-day notice for the remaining balance.
Q3
Do I need an attorney for an eviction in Waukegan?
While you can represent yourself in Illinois small claims court, for an eviction, it's highly recommended to hire an attorney. The eviction process (735 ILCS 5/9) is complex, with strict procedural rules. Mistakes can lead to delays, dismissed cases, and more lost rent. Given the high cost and long timeline of evictions in Lake County, an attorney can save you money and stress in the long run.
Q4
Are there rent control laws in Waukegan or Illinois?
No. Illinois has a statewide ban on rent control. This means Waukegan cannot enact its own rent control ordinances. You generally have the ability to set rent prices as you see fit, though market forces will always play a role. For more information, see our Illinois rent control rules.
Q5
What happens if my tenant just abandons the property?
If a tenant truly abandons the property (e.g., moves out all belongings, stops paying rent, clearly no intention to return), you might be able to regain possession without a formal eviction. However, you must be absolutely certain the property is abandoned to avoid an illegal lockout claim. Look for clear signs like utilities being disconnected, forwarding addresses, or confirmed statements from the tenant. It's often safer to send a notice of abandonment and wait a reasonable period, or even file for eviction, to protect yourself legally.
Q6
Does Waukegan have any specific tenant protection laws beyond state law?
While Illinois has statewide tenant protections, including source-of-income protection and security deposit rules, individual cities and counties *can* enact additional protections. It's crucial to check with the City of Waukegan's municipal code for any specific landlord-tenant ordinances that might apply locally. Lake County also has its own regulations to be aware of; see our Lake County eviction guide for more.
A 4.9/10 places Waukegan in the 76th percentile of Illinois cities on the Eviction Risk Score index. The score is the average of the nine sub-axes, all calibrated on a national 1 to 10 scale where 1 is most landlord-friendly and 10 is most tenant-protective. The 50-year reconstruction shows this score has risen sharply since 1976, a structural drift driven by court-calendar growth, rent-control adoption, and the rise of tenant-side legal aid. The trajectory matters more than the snapshot: the score is the climate, not the weather.
Neighborhoods in Waukegan (1 with eviction-risk data)
Click a neighborhood to see its pop-weighted score, constituent census tracts, and demographics. Sorted by population.
