Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Marcos, CA
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 San Marcos leads 19 of 23 categories
San Marcos
California
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,413 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
59 ✓ Safer
Population
94,360 ✓ Larger
Waukegan
Illinois
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
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.
San Marcos, CA
Pros
Households earn $33,336 more per year on average
50% less violent crime than Waukegan
Violent crime is well below the national average (222.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 30°F
More college-educated — 41.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (4.2%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $728,800
Higher rents — median is $2,064/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Waukegan
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $564k less ($164,400 vs $728,800)
Rent averages $932/mo less ($1,132 vs $2,064)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than San Marcos
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 87°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Marcos by $33,336/yr
Violent crime (445.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 4.2%)
Snowy winters — about 43" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
San Marcos
Median Income
$33,336
$99,413 vs $66,077/yr
San Marcos
Violent Crime
50% lower
222.4 vs 445.2 per 100k
San Marcos
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
4.2% vs 5.3% unemployment
San Marcos
Summer Heat
5.5°F warmer
July avg high 87.2°F vs 81.7°F
Waukegan
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$564k less
$164,400 vs $728,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Marcos, CA | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $728,800⚠ High | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,064⚠ High | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $99,413 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.7 min ✓ Shorter | 26.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 16.2% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 59 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (100) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.5:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 41.5% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 87.8% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Marcos Unified | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.2°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.9" ✓ Drier | 35.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 94,360 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 35.9 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.9% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% ✓ More | 25.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Marcos's cost of living index is 111.5 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Waukegan is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Marcos leads 19 of 23 categories. San Marcos wins 19 and Waukegan wins 4. 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 Marcos to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($728,800 vs $164,400 median home), income ($99,413 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Marcos, CA and Waukegan, IL are about 1,712 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.