Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Escondido, CA
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 Escondido leads 16 of 23 categories
Escondido
California
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$77,554 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
114⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
151,114 ✓ Larger
Waukegan
Illinois
7
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.
Escondido, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 30°F
Households earn $11,477 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.3%)
More college-educated — 26.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $616,400
Higher rents — median is $1,833/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Waukegan
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $452k less ($164,400 vs $616,400)
Rent averages $701/mo less ($1,132 vs $1,833)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Escondido
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 87°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 Escondido by $11,477/yr
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 4.3%)
Snowy winters — about 43" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Escondido
Median Income
$11,477
$77,554 vs $66,077/yr
Escondido
Violent Crime
3% lower
433.5 vs 445.2 per 100k
Escondido
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.3% unemployment
Escondido
Summer Heat
5.5°F warmer
July avg high 87.2°F vs 81.7°F
Waukegan
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$452k less
$164,400 vs $616,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Escondido, CA | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $616,400⚠ High | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,833⚠ High | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $77,554 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 26.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.7% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 97 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (80) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.9:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.6% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 80.1% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Escondido Union | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.2°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.9" ✓ Drier | 35.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 151,114 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.8% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 23.0% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.1% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Escondido's cost of living index is 111.5 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Waukegan is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Escondido leads 16 of 23 categories. Escondido wins 16 and Waukegan wins 7. 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 Escondido to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($616,400 vs $164,400 median home), income ($77,554 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Escondido, CA and Waukegan, IL are about 1,708 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.