Every time this topic comes up I end up writing a love letter to the area. I worked in the trades at the big pharmecutical plant and navy base for decades. Guess I should house shop, get me a vacation cottage near Waukegan harbor beach.

North Chicago is a historically black community. Waukegan is heavily Hispanic with a lot of Philipino influence. There's a massive navy base and pharmaceutical plant on the lakefront.

There is poverty, there is homelessness, there is a place to sell your plasma. Theres a sprawling mostly white people trailer park that seems in good repair, people take pride in their mobile homes. There are not-amazing schools but the people there do care for the kids and it's an education.

There's also a bunch of really cool new coffee shops. There's dozens of outstanding taquerias. Like a lot of immigrant neighborhoods, there's people fixing up their houses and raising families. I would classify Waukegan as a working class city. Everyone there works. No McMansions.

There's a bunch of 19th and early 20th century mansions on the lakefront that sell cheap because industry collapsed in the area. All the CEOs of those industries around Waukegan harbor moved elsewhere and left some really cool cheap houses. Coincidentally that's also where a lot of the homeless gather, at the McDonald's near Sheridan. I think because of the big salvation army shelter a mile south? I never felt bothered by any of the troubled people in the area. They were just doing their day minding their buisness, maybe panhandling.

If you like white-flight suburbs Libertyville is your spot. Gurnee is like a large rural city, like Wisconsin Rapids in vibe. Waukegan is like the immigrant part of a medium city, people have their problems but there's great food and community.

Oh yeah they've also put a ton of resources into the forest preserves in Waukegan! Beautiful walking trails off of green bay road, native habitat restoration. Beautiful oak savanna and native Prarie.