Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Concord, NC
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 Concord leads 18 of 23 categories
Concord
North Carolina
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$83,480 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
42 ✓ Safer
Population
105,335 ✓ 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.
Concord, NC
Pros
64% less violent crime than Waukegan
Households earn $17,403 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (159.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 40.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 53°F vs 30°F
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $124k less ($164,400 vs $288,100)
Rent averages $127/mo less ($1,132 vs $1,259)
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 92°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (445.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Concord by $17,403/yr
Snowy winters — about 43" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Concord
Key Differences at a Glance
Concord
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 97.0 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Concord
Median Income
$17,403
$83,480 vs $66,077/yr
Concord
Violent Crime
64% lower
159.0 vs 445.2 per 100k
Concord
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.3% unemployment
Concord
Summer Heat
10.1°F warmer
July avg high 91.8°F vs 81.7°F
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$124k less
$164,400 vs $288,100
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Concord, NC | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.0 ✓ Cheaper | 102.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $288,100 | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,259 | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,480 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min | 26.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.2% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 46 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.4:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.8% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 91.2% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cabarrus County Schools | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.8°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.0" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.3" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,335 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 37.3 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.4% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 25.0% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Concord's cost of living index is 97.0 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Concord is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Concord leads 18 of 23 categories. Concord 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 Concord to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($288,100 vs $164,400 median home), income ($83,480 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Concord, NC and Waukegan, IL are about 619 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.