Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Jose, CA
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 San Jose leads 14 of 23 categories
San Jose
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,010 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
160⚠ High
Population
1,001,176 ✓ Larger
Waukegan
Illinois
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,077
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 Jose, CA
Pros
Households earn $69,933 more per year on average
More college-educated — 46.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 30°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.7%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,149,600
Higher rents — median is $2,526/mo
Violent crime (606.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.9)
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $985k less ($164,400 vs $1,149,600)
Rent averages $1394/mo less ($1,132 vs $2,526)
27% less violent crime than San Jose
10% cheaper overall cost of living than San Jose
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Jose by $69,933/yr
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
San Jose
Median Income
$69,933
$136,010 vs $66,077/yr
San Jose
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.3% unemployment
Waukegan
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
Waukegan
Violent Crime
27% lower
445.2 vs 606.8 per 100k
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$985k less
$164,400 vs $1,149,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Jose, CA | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.9⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,149,600⚠ High | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,526⚠ High | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $136,010 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.8 min⚠ High | 26.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.3% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 145⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 160⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 123⚠ High | 77 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.8:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.0% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 85.5% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Jose Unified | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.8" ✓ Drier | 35.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 1,001,176 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 37.8 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.8% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.7% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Jose's cost of living index is 112.9 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Waukegan is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Jose leads 14 of 23 categories. San Jose wins 14 and Waukegan wins 9. 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 Jose to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,149,600 vs $164,400 median home), income ($136,010 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Jose, CA and Waukegan, IL are about 1,822 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.