Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Mount Pleasant, SC
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 Mount Pleasant leads 17 of 23 categories
Mount Pleasant
South Carolina
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$115,167 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
34 ✓ Safer
Population
90,945 ✓ 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.
Mount Pleasant, SC
Pros
Households earn $49,090 more per year on average
71% less violent crime than Waukegan
More college-educated — 65.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (3.2%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (128.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 30°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $608,600
Higher rents — median is $1,901/mo
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Waukegan
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $444k less ($164,400 vs $608,600)
Rent averages $769/mo less ($1,132 vs $1,901)
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 91°F
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Mount Pleasant
Cons
Median income trails Mount Pleasant by $49,090/yr
Violent crime (445.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 3.2%)
Snowy winters — about 43" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Mount Pleasant
Median Income
$49,090
$115,167 vs $66,077/yr
Mount Pleasant
Violent Crime
71% lower
128.4 vs 445.2 per 100k
Mount Pleasant
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
3.2% vs 5.3% unemployment
Mount Pleasant
Summer Heat
9.4°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 81.7°F
Waukegan
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 105.9 (100 = US avg)
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$444k less
$164,400 vs $608,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Mount Pleasant, SC | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.9⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $608,600⚠ High | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,901⚠ High | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $115,167 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 26.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 19.7% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 43 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 34 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 56 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.4% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 97.7% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.2°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.3" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 90,945 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 42.4 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.5% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Mount Pleasant's cost of living index is 105.9 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Waukegan is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Mount Pleasant leads 17 of 23 categories. Mount Pleasant 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 Mount Pleasant to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($608,600 vs $164,400 median home), income ($115,167 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Mount Pleasant, SC and Waukegan, IL are about 792 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.