Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Long Beach, CA
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 Waukegan leads 13 of 23 categories
Long Beach
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,995 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
462,293 ✓ Larger
Waukegan
Illinois
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,077
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
89,435
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Long Beach, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 30°F
Households earn $12,918 more per year on average
More college-educated — 33.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $709,700
Higher rents — median is $1,698/mo
Violent crime (676.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $545k less ($164,400 vs $709,700)
Rent averages $566/mo less ($1,132 vs $1,698)
34% less violent crime than Long Beach
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (5.3%)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Long Beach
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cons
Violent crime (445.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Long Beach by $12,918/yr
Snowy winters — about 43" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Long Beach
Median Income
$12,918
$78,995 vs $66,077/yr
Waukegan
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Waukegan
Violent Crime
34% lower
445.2 vs 676.4 per 100k
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$545k less
$164,400 vs $709,700
Waukegan
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
5.3% vs 6.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Long Beach, CA | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $709,700⚠ High | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,698⚠ High | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,995 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High | 26.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 173⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 178⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 166⚠ High | 77 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.7:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.7% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 81.2% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Long Beach Unified | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.4°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 81.4°F | 81.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.0" ✓ Drier | 35.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 462,293 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 36.1 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.6% | 48.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.7% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.5% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Long Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Waukegan is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Waukegan leads 13 of 23 categories. Long Beach wins 10 and Waukegan wins 13. 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 Long Beach to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($709,700 vs $164,400 median home), income ($78,995 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Long Beach, CA and Waukegan, IL are about 1,740 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.