Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clearwater, FL
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 Clearwater leads 15 of 23 categories
Clearwater
Florida
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,358
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
116,984 ✓ Larger
Waukegan
Illinois
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,077 ✓ Higher
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.
Clearwater, FL
Pros
11% less violent crime than Waukegan
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 30°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.7%)
More college-educated — 31.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,389/mo
Median income trails Waukegan by $6,719/yr
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $124k less ($164,400 vs $287,900)
Rent averages $257/mo less ($1,132 vs $1,389)
Households earn $6,719 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 90°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (445.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Snowy winters — about 43" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Clearwater
Violent Crime
11% lower
395.5 vs 445.2 per 100k
Clearwater
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.3% unemployment
Clearwater
Summer Heat
8.6°F warmer
July avg high 90.3°F vs 81.7°F
Waukegan
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Waukegan
Median Income
$6,719
$66,077 vs $59,358/yr
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$124k less
$164,400 vs $287,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clearwater, FL | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $287,900 | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,389⚠ High | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,358 | $66,077 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 26.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 16.4% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 99 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 104⚠ High ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 | 77 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.9:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.9% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PINELLAS | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 70.6°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 56.1" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,984 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 46.0 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.8% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 23.5% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clearwater's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Waukegan is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Clearwater leads 15 of 23 categories. Clearwater wins 15 and Waukegan wins 8. 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 Clearwater to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($287,900 vs $164,400 median home), income ($59,358 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clearwater, FL and Waukegan, IL are about 1,035 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.