Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Sterling Heights, MI
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 Sterling Heights leads 18 of 23 categories
Sterling Heights
Michigan
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,381 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
60 ✓ Safer
Population
133,744 ✓ Larger
Waukegan
Illinois
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
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.
Sterling Heights, MI
Pros
49% less violent crime than Waukegan
Violent crime is well below the national average (229.2 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $9,304 more per year on average
More college-educated — 30.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Waukegan
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $79k less ($164,400 vs $243,400)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.3%)
Rent averages $83/mo less ($1,132 vs $1,215)
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (445.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Sterling Heights by $9,304/yr
Snowy winters — about 43" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Sterling Heights
Key Differences at a Glance
Sterling Heights
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Sterling Heights
Median Income
$9,304
$75,381 vs $66,077/yr
Sterling Heights
Violent Crime
49% lower
229.2 vs 445.2 per 100k
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$79k less
$164,400 vs $243,400
Waukegan
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.3% vs 5.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Sterling Heights, MI | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 102.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $243,400 | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,215 | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,381 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min ✓ Shorter | 26.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.5% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 56 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 50 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (99) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.9:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 30.8% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 87.7% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Utica Community Schools | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 31.6°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.2°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.5" ✓ Drier | 35.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.2" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 133,744 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 41.2 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 76.0% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.2% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.0% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Sterling Heights's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Sterling Heights is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sterling Heights leads 18 of 23 categories. Sterling Heights wins 18 and Waukegan wins 5. 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 Sterling Heights to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,400 vs $164,400 median home), income ($75,381 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Sterling Heights, MI and Waukegan, IL are about 247 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.