Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Edmond, OK
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 Edmond leads 20 of 23 categories
Edmond
Oklahoma
20
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$96,389 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
43 ✓ Safer
Population
94,503 ✓ Larger
Waukegan
Illinois
3
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.
Edmond, OK
Pros
63% less violent crime than Waukegan
Households earn $30,312 more per year on average
More college-educated — 55.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.2 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (3.5%)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Waukegan
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $140k less ($164,400 vs $304,700)
Rent averages $125/mo less ($1,132 vs $1,257)
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 93°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Edmond by $30,312/yr
Violent crime (445.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Edmond
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 3.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Edmond
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Edmond
Median Income
$30,312
$96,389 vs $66,077/yr
Edmond
Violent Crime
63% lower
165.2 vs 445.2 per 100k
Edmond
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
3.5% vs 5.3% unemployment
Edmond
Summer Heat
11.6°F warmer
July avg high 93.3°F vs 81.7°F
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$140k less
$164,400 vs $304,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Edmond, OK | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper | 102.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $304,700 | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,257 | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $96,389 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter | 26.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 52 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 43 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (116) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.2:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.0% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | EDMOND | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.9°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.3°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.9" ✓ Drier | 35.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.5" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 94,503 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 37.3 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.2% ✓ More | 25.0% |
| Over 65 | 15.1% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Edmond's cost of living index is 91.0 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Edmond is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Edmond leads 20 of 23 categories. Edmond wins 20 and Waukegan wins 3. 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 Edmond to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($304,700 vs $164,400 median home), income ($96,389 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Edmond, OK and Waukegan, IL are about 689 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.