Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Bedford, MA
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 New Bedford leads 13 of 23 categories
New Bedford
Massachusetts
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,604
Violent Crime Index
93 ✓ Safer
Population
100,620 ✓ Larger
Waukegan
Illinois
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,077 ✓ Higher
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.
New Bedford, MA
Pros
21% less violent crime than Waukegan
Rent averages $106/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,132)
Milder winters — January highs near 39°F vs 30°F
Cons
Median income trails Waukegan by $11,473/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.3%)
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $127k less ($164,400 vs $291,300)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (5.3%)
Households earn $11,473 more per year on average
More college-educated — 21.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (445.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Snowy winters — about 43" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
New Bedford
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
New Bedford
Violent Crime
21% lower
353.2 vs 445.2 per 100k
Waukegan
Median Income
$11,473
$66,077 vs $54,604/yr
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$127k less
$164,400 vs $291,300
Waukegan
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
5.3% vs 7.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Bedford, MA | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 102.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,026 ✓ Lower | $1,132 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,604 | $66,077 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter | 26.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.3% | 5.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 82 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 93 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 12.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.4% | 21.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 76.3% | 77.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | New Bedford | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.5" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 100,620 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 36.8 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.9% | 48.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.5% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.8% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Bedford's cost of living index is 100.9 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
New Bedford is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, New Bedford leads 13 of 23 categories. New Bedford wins 13 and Waukegan wins 10. 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 New Bedford to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $164,400 median home), income ($54,604 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Bedford, MA and Waukegan, IL are about 869 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.