Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Lauderdale, FL
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 Fort Lauderdale leads 13 of 20 categories
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673 ✓ 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.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 77°F vs 30°F
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $9,299 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $417,600
Higher rents — median is $1,627/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Waukegan
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $253k less ($164,400 vs $417,600)
Rent averages $495/mo less ($1,132 vs $1,627)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Lauderdale
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 91°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 Fort Lauderdale by $9,299/yr
Snowy winters — about 43" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Lauderdale
Median Income
$9,299
$75,376 vs $66,077/yr
Fort Lauderdale
Summer Heat
8.8°F warmer
July avg high 90.5°F vs 81.7°F
Waukegan
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$253k less
$164,400 vs $417,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $417,600⚠ High | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,627⚠ High | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,376 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min ✓ Shorter | 26.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 77 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWARD | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 63.0" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 182,673 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 43.2 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.3% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Lauderdale's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Waukegan is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Fort Lauderdale leads 13 of 20 categories. Fort Lauderdale wins 13 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 Fort Lauderdale to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($417,600 vs $164,400 median home), income ($75,376 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Lauderdale, FL and Waukegan, IL are about 1,204 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.