Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Highlands Ranch, CO
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 Highlands Ranch leads 17 of 23 categories
Highlands Ranch
Colorado
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$148,227 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
101,514 ✓ Larger
Waukegan
Illinois
6
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.
Highlands Ranch, CO
Pros
Households earn $82,150 more per year on average
69% less violent crime than Waukegan
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (3.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 45°F vs 30°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $637,400
Higher rents — median is $2,353/mo
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Waukegan
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $473k less ($164,400 vs $637,400)
Rent averages $1221/mo less ($1,132 vs $2,353)
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 87°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Highlands Ranch
Cons
Median income trails Highlands Ranch by $82,150/yr
Violent crime (445.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 3.4%)
Snowy winters — about 43" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Highlands Ranch
Median Income
$82,150
$148,227 vs $66,077/yr
Highlands Ranch
Violent Crime
69% lower
138.1 vs 445.2 per 100k
Highlands Ranch
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
3.4% vs 5.3% unemployment
Highlands Ranch
Summer Heat
5.6°F warmer
July avg high 87.3°F vs 81.7°F
Waukegan
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$473k less
$164,400 vs $637,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Highlands Ranch, CO | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $637,400⚠ High | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,353⚠ High | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $148,227 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.1 min ✓ Shorter | 26.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 26.2% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ 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- (114) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.4:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 98.8% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Douglas County School District No. Re 1 | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.2" ✓ Drier | 35.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 43.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,514 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 41.0 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.4% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.4% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Highlands Ranch's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Waukegan is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Highlands Ranch leads 17 of 23 categories. Highlands Ranch wins 17 and Waukegan wins 6. 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 Highlands Ranch to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($637,400 vs $164,400 median home), income ($148,227 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Highlands Ranch, CO and Waukegan, IL are about 912 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.