2025 Compare Cities Economy:
Portage, MI vs Waukegan, IL

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Highlights
- Household income in Waukegan, is 14% less than it is in Portage and is 17% below the National Average.
- Portage unemployment rate is 4.7%.
- Waukegan unemployment rate is 10.2%.
 Portage, MIWaukegan, ILUnited States
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock10.2%6.0%
 Recent Job Growth  Unlock2.4%1.6%
 Future Job Growth33.3%  Unlock33.5%
 Sales Taxes6.0%  Unlock6.2%
 Income Taxes  Unlock5.0%4.6%
 Income per Cap.$38,978  Unlock$37,638
 Household Income  Unlock$58,844$69,021
 Family Median Income$90,697  Unlock$85,028
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 Est. Households By Income
 Portage, MIWaukegan, ILUnited States
 Income Less Than 15K  Unlock9.0%9.4%
 Income between 15K and 20K2.3%  Unlock3.8%
 Income between 20K and 30K  Unlock11.5%8.1%
 Income between 30K and 40K6.9%  Unlock8.0%
 Income between 40K and 50K  Unlock9.7%7.6%
 Income between 50K and 60K8.6%  Unlock7.2%
 Income between 60K and 75K  Unlock12.3%9.6%
 Income between 75K and 100K12.0%  Unlock12.8%
 Income between 100K and 150K  Unlock12.6%16.3%
 Income between 150K and 200K7.8%  Unlock7.8%
 Income greater than 200K  Unlock5.5%9.5%
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 Population By Occupation
 Portage, MIWaukegan, ILUnited States
 Management, business, finance19.0%  Unlock16.4%
 Engineering, computers, science  Unlock4.8%6.5%
 Community, social services2.4%  Unlock1.8%
 Legal  Unlock0.5%1.2%
 Education, library7.1%  Unlock6.2%
 Arts, design, media, sports, entertainment  Unlock1.0%2.0%
 Healthcare practitioners and technology7.9%  Unlock6.2%
 Healthcare support  Unlock3.6%3.3%
 Firefighters, law enforcement1.3%  Unlock2.1%
 Food preparation, serving  Unlock6.2%5.4%
 Building maintenance2.7%  Unlock3.6%
 Personal care  Unlock2.3%2.6%
 Sales, office, administrative support18.4%  Unlock20.9%
 Farming, fishing, forestry  Unlock0.1%0.6%
 Construction, extraction, maintenance/repair4.5%  Unlock8.1%
 Production, transportation, material moving  Unlock25.5%13.1%
Reviews for Portage    3 Reviews

I'm just writing because I think that the people who are in my opinion bashing Kalamazoo, really don't know anything about it. I have vacationed in much larger cities,  More

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Before I moved to Portage in 2007, I didn't have any real breathing problems. I had a minor case of hay fever. I moved here and I am stuck inside most of the summer  More

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Over 20 years ago

Portage is a nice palce to live and raise a family. I don't think it would be a good place for a single  More

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Reviews for Waukegan    3 Reviews

Great people, beautifully diverse. All live and work together to provide the best for all residents. Lake County College is completing a 40 million dollar building  More

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Over 12 years ago

We're looking for a moderate climate. Waukegan is on Lake Michigan and could have a dynamic vibrant downtown but it doesn't. Great master plan if somehow Waukegan can  More

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Over 17 years ago

I have been living in north east waukegan for 12 years and I am excited by the recent surge of growth in the downtown area. Thanks to the Genesee theater, there are  More

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