Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Antonio, TX
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 San Antonio leads 13 of 23 categories
San Antonio
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,593
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High
Population
1,445,662 ✓ Larger
Waukegan
Illinois
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,077 ✓ Higher
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.
San Antonio, TX
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 30°F
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Waukegan
More college-educated — 27.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.7)
Cons
Violent crime (594.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4623.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Waukegan by $6,484/yr
Waukegan, IL
Pros
25% less violent crime than San Antonio
Homes cost $34k less ($164,400 vs $198,000)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.3%)
Households earn $6,484 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (445.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 9% higher than San Antonio
Snowy winters — about 43" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
San Antonio
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
San Antonio
Summer Heat
12.3°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 81.7°F
Waukegan
Median Income
$6,484
$66,077 vs $59,593/yr
Waukegan
Violent Crime
25% lower
445.2 vs 594.1 per 100k
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$34k less
$164,400 vs $198,000
Waukegan
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.3% vs 5.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Antonio, TX | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper | 102.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $198,000 | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,189 | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,593 | $66,077 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.5 min ✓ Shorter | 26.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 182⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 156⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 220⚠ High | 77 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.2:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.7% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 83.8% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | NORTHSIDE ISD | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.0" ✓ Drier | 35.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 1,445,662 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 34.1 | 34.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.9% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.8% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Antonio's cost of living index is 93.7 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
San Antonio is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Antonio leads 13 of 23 categories. San Antonio 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 San Antonio to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($198,000 vs $164,400 median home), income ($59,593 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Antonio, TX and Waukegan, IL are about 1,071 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.