Waukegan is the county seat and the biggest city in Lake County — a diverse Lake Michigan city just north of the base that gives you the most house or rent for your money within a short commute. It has a working harbor and beach, a historic downtown anchored by the restored Genesee Theatre, and a genuinely urban feel rather than a suburban one.
What it's actually like, day one
The commute is short — Waukegan borders North Chicago and the base. You get city amenities (the lakefront, downtown, shopping along Belvidere Rd / Green Bay Rd) and prices well below the upscale towns inland. It's a large, mixed city, so the experience varies a lot by neighborhood — the lakefront and the established residential areas read very differently from the busier commercial corridors.
The tradeoff
You trade polish and uniform school quality for value and proximity. Waukegan CUSD 60 is a big urban district where outcomes vary by school, so families who prioritize schools do the per-address homework or look to Gurnee/Grayslake/Libertyville. For value and a short commute, though, Waukegan is hard to beat this close to base.
Verify before you sign
Pull the specific CUSD 60 school + ratings for the address, drive the neighborhood (it varies block to block), and confirm your commute at your report time.
Neighborhoods
Waukegan ranges from its historic downtown and the harbor/lakefront on Lake Michigan to the residential neighborhoods inland. The lakefront and the older established blocks are the draws; tour any specific area before committing.