Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Rosa, CA
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 Santa Rosa leads 15 of 23 categories
Santa Rosa
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
110.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$92,604 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
90 ✓ Safer
Population
178,221 ✓ Larger
Waukegan
Illinois
8
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.
Santa Rosa, CA
Pros
Households earn $26,527 more per year on average
23% less violent crime than Waukegan
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 30°F
More college-educated — 34.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $661,700
Higher rents — median is $2,024/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 110.1)
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Waukegan
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $497k less ($164,400 vs $661,700)
Rent averages $892/mo less ($1,132 vs $2,024)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Rosa
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Rosa by $26,527/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
Santa Rosa
Median Income
$26,527
$92,604 vs $66,077/yr
Santa Rosa
Violent Crime
23% lower
342.6 vs 445.2 per 100k
Waukegan
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 110.1 (100 = US avg)
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$497k less
$164,400 vs $661,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Rosa, CA | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 110.1⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $661,700⚠ High | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,024⚠ High | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,604 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.7 min ✓ Shorter | 26.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.9% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 79 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (90) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.5:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.7% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 85.4% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Rincon Valley Union Elementary | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.7°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 81.6°F | 81.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 31.5" ✓ Drier | 35.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 178,221 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 40.4 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.3% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Rosa's cost of living index is 110.1 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Waukegan is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Santa Rosa leads 15 of 23 categories. Santa Rosa 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 Santa Rosa to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($661,700 vs $164,400 median home), income ($92,604 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Rosa, CA and Waukegan, IL are about 1,840 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.