Gurnee, Illinois

Gurnee, Illinois
Motto: 
"Community of Opportunity"
Location of Gurnee in Lake County, Illinois.
Coordinates: 42°22′40″N 87°58′20″W / 42.37778°N 87.97222°W / 42.37778; -87.97222
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
CountyLake
Founded1928
Named afterWalter S. Gurnee
Area
 • Total
13.58 sq mi (35.18 km2)
 • Land13.51 sq mi (34.99 km2)
 • Water0.077 sq mi (0.20 km2)
Elevation
715 ft (218 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
30,706
 • Density2,273.0/sq mi (877.62/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP code
60031
Area codes224, 847
FIPS code17-32018
GNIS feature ID2398219
Websitewww.gurnee.il.us

Gurnee (/ɡərˈn/ ghər-NEE) is a village in Lake County, in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 census, its population was 30,706. Located in the Chicago metropolitan area, it borders the city of Waukegan. It is roughly 40 miles (64 km) north of Chicago and 50 miles (80 km) south of Milwaukee. The village was founded in 1928 and is named after former Chicago mayor Walter S. Gurnee.

The village is a major regional tourist attraction, home to the Six Flags Great America and Hurricane Harbor Chicago amusement park and water park complex, the Gurnee Mills shopping mall, and the Great Wolf Lodge resort. As a result, the village attracts more than 23 million visitors annually, accessible via Interstate 94, which runs directly through the village.