Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 Clifton leads 15 of 23 categories
Clifton
New Jersey
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
89,451 ✓ Larger
Waukegan
Illinois
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
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.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
63% less violent crime than Waukegan
Households earn $28,102 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.8 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 34.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 39°F vs 30°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $428,000
Higher rents — median is $1,633/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Higher unemployment (6.4% vs 5.3%)
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $264k less ($164,400 vs $428,000)
Rent averages $501/mo less ($1,132 vs $1,633)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (5.3%)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Cons
Median income trails Clifton by $28,102/yr
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
Clifton
Median Income
$28,102
$94,179 vs $66,077/yr
Clifton
Violent Crime
63% lower
165.8 vs 445.2 per 100k
Clifton
Summer Heat
4.8°F warmer
July avg high 86.5°F vs 81.7°F
Waukegan
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$264k less
$164,400 vs $428,000
Waukegan
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
5.3% vs 6.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 26.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 77 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 12.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Waukegan is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Clifton leads 15 of 23 categories. Clifton 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 Clifton to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $164,400 median home), income ($94,179 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and Waukegan, IL are about 715 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.