Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carmel, IN
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 Carmel leads 18 of 23 categories
Carmel
Indiana
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$132,859 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
17 ✓ Safer
Population
99,453 ✓ Larger
Waukegan
Illinois
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,077
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High
Population
89,435
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Carmel, IN
Pros
Households earn $66,782 more per year on average
85% less violent crime than Waukegan
More college-educated — 73.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (2.6%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (66.0 vs 380/100k)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Waukegan
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $425,900
Higher rents — median is $1,499/mo
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $262k less ($164,400 vs $425,900)
Rent averages $367/mo less ($1,132 vs $1,499)
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Carmel by $66,782/yr
Violent crime (445.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 2.6%)
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Carmel
Key Differences at a Glance
Carmel
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 94.6 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Carmel
Median Income
$66,782
$132,859 vs $66,077/yr
Carmel
Violent Crime
85% lower
66.0 vs 445.2 per 100k
Carmel
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
2.6% vs 5.3% unemployment
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$262k less
$164,400 vs $425,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carmel, IN | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 ✓ Cheaper | 102.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $425,900⚠ High | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,499⚠ High | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $132,859 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 26.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 26 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 17 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (120) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.6:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 73.7% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 98.1% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Carmel Clay Schools | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.2" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 20.3" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,453 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 40.6 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.6% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.7% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carmel's cost of living index is 94.6 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Carmel is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Carmel leads 18 of 23 categories. Carmel wins 18 and Waukegan wins 5. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Carmel to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($425,900 vs $164,400 median home), income ($132,859 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carmel, IN and Waukegan, IL are about 189 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.