Head-to-Head · City Comparison
St. Petersburg, FL
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 St. Petersburg leads 14 of 23 categories
St. Petersburg
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$70,333 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
259,343 ✓ 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.
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 30°F
More college-educated — 40.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.6%)
Households earn $4,256 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (619.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,410/mo
Property crime (2458.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $125k less ($164,400 vs $289,000)
28% less violent crime than St. Petersburg
Rent averages $278/mo less ($1,132 vs $1,410)
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 90°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (445.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 4.6%)
Median income trails St. Petersburg by $4,256/yr
Snowy winters — about 43" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
St. Petersburg
Median Income
$4,256
$70,333 vs $66,077/yr
St. Petersburg
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.3% unemployment
St. Petersburg
Summer Heat
7.9°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 81.7°F
Waukegan
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Waukegan
Violent Crime
28% lower
445.2 vs 619.6 per 100k
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$125k less
$164,400 vs $289,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | St. Petersburg, FL | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $289,000 | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,410⚠ High | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $70,333 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter | 26.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 15.7% ✓ 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 | 163⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 117⚠ High | 77 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.9:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.6% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 93.8% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PINELLAS | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.0°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.6" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 259,343 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 42.9 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.6% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.3% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.9% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
St. Petersburg's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Waukegan is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Petersburg leads 14 of 23 categories. St. Petersburg 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 St. Petersburg to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($289,000 vs $164,400 median home), income ($70,333 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
St. Petersburg, FL and Waukegan, IL are about 1,051 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.