Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Joliet, IL
VS
Yakima, WA
🏆 Joliet leads 15 of 23 categories
Joliet
Illinois
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,971 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
92 ✓ Safer
Population
150,221 ✓ Larger
Yakima
Washington
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,734
Violent Crime Index
143⚠ High
Population
96,764
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Joliet, IL
Pros
Households earn $29,237 more per year on average
36% less violent crime than Yakima
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (6.2%)
More college-educated — 24.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Longer commutes — 29.6 min average each way
Yakima, WA
Pros
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Rent averages $160/mo less ($1,014 vs $1,174)
Milder winters — January highs near 40°F vs 31°F
Cons
Median income trails Joliet by $29,237/yr
Violent crime (544.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (8.1% vs 6.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Joliet
Median Income
$29,237
$84,971 vs $55,734/yr
Joliet
Violent Crime
36% lower
350.0 vs 544.3 per 100k
Joliet
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
6.2% vs 8.1% unemployment
Yakima
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 101.6 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Yakima
Summer Heat
4.7°F warmer
July avg high 88.3°F vs 83.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Joliet, IL | Yakima, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $233,800 ✓ Lower | $243,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,174 | $1,014 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $84,971 ✓ Higher | $55,734 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.6 min⚠ High | 17.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% ✓ Higher | 5.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 79 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 92 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 59 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.9% ✓ Higher | 19.3% |
| High School or Higher | 84.8% ✓ Higher | 77.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Joliet PSD 86 | Yakima School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 31.1°F | 39.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.6°F | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.2" | 8.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 16.9" ✓ Less | 20.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,221 ✓ Larger | 96,764 |
| Median Age | 34.3 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.4% ✓ Higher | 53.1% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% | 27.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.2% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Joliet's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Yakima's 101.6 (US average = 100).
Yakima is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Joliet leads 15 of 23 categories. Joliet wins 15 and Yakima wins 8. 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 Joliet to Yakima or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($233,800 vs $243,300 median home), income ($84,971 vs $55,734), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Joliet, IL and Yakima, WA are about 1,634 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.