Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 Port St. Lucie leads 15 of 23 categories
Port St. Lucie
Florida
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,040 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
31 ✓ Safer
Population
210,520 ✓ Larger
Waukegan
Illinois
8
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.
Port St. Lucie, FL
Pros
74% less violent crime than Waukegan
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 30°F
Violent crime is well below the national average (116.7 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $8,963 more per year on average
More college-educated — 26.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,684/mo
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $129k less ($164,400 vs $292,900)
Rent averages $552/mo less ($1,132 vs $1,684)
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 89°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (445.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Port St. Lucie by $8,963/yr
Snowy winters — about 43" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Port St. Lucie
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 101.7 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Port St. Lucie
Median Income
$8,963
$75,040 vs $66,077/yr
Port St. Lucie
Violent Crime
74% lower
116.7 vs 445.2 per 100k
Port St. Lucie
Summer Heat
6.9°F warmer
July avg high 88.6°F vs 81.7°F
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$129k less
$164,400 vs $292,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Port St. Lucie, FL | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 101.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 102.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $292,900 | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,684⚠ High | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,040 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.2 min⚠ High | 26.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.0% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 33 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.4:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.2% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 90.7% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ST. LUCIE | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 73.1°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.1" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 210,520 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 43.5 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.8% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 21.4% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Port St. Lucie's cost of living index is 101.7 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Port St. Lucie is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Port St. Lucie leads 15 of 23 categories. Port St. Lucie wins 15 and Waukegan 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 Port St. Lucie to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($292,900 vs $164,400 median home), income ($75,040 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Port St. Lucie, FL and Waukegan, IL are about 1,124 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.