Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Naperville, IL
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 Naperville leads 16 of 22 categories
Naperville
Illinois
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$143,754 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
149,089 ✓ Larger
Waukegan
Illinois
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
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.
Naperville, IL
Pros
Households earn $77,677 more per year on average
81% less violent crime than Waukegan
More college-educated — 70.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (83.7 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (4.5%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $482,600
Higher rents — median is $1,787/mo
Longer commutes — 32.2 min average each way
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $318k less ($164,400 vs $482,600)
Rent averages $655/mo less ($1,132 vs $1,787)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Naperville by $77,677/yr
Violent crime (445.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 4.5%)
Snowy winters — about 43" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Naperville
Median Income
$77,677
$143,754 vs $66,077/yr
Naperville
Violent Crime
81% lower
83.7 vs 445.2 per 100k
Naperville
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.3% unemployment
Naperville
Summer Heat
3.8°F warmer
July avg high 85.5°F vs 81.7°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 102.6 on the COL index
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$318k less
$164,400 vs $482,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Naperville, IL | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $482,600⚠ High | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,787⚠ High | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $143,754 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.2 min⚠ High | 26.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 30 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 97.5% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Naperville CUSD 203 | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.3" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,089 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.4% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.9% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Naperville's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Naperville leads 16 of 22 categories. Naperville wins 16 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 Naperville to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($482,600 vs $164,400 median home), income ($143,754 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Naperville, IL and Waukegan, IL are about 45 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.