Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Tallahassee, FL
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Tallahassee
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,899
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,259 ✓ Larger
Waukegan
Illinois
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,077 ✓ Higher
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.
Tallahassee, FL
Pros
More college-educated — 49.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 64°F vs 30°F
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Waukegan
Cons
Median income trails Waukegan by $13,178/yr
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 5.3%)
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $92k less ($164,400 vs $256,400)
Households earn $13,178 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (5.3%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 92°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (445.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Tallahassee
Snowy winters — about 43" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Tallahassee
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 95.3 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Tallahassee
Summer Heat
10.4°F warmer
July avg high 92.1°F vs 81.7°F
Waukegan
Median Income
$13,178
$66,077 vs $52,899/yr
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$92k less
$164,400 vs $256,400
Waukegan
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
5.3% vs 6.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Tallahassee, FL | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.3 ✓ Cheaper | 102.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $256,400 | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,165 | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,899 | $66,077 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter | 26.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 77 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (113) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.1:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 49.9% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 93.2% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEON | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 63.9°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.3" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,259 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 27.6 | 34.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.8% | 48.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.2% | 11.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Tallahassee's cost of living index is 95.3 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Tallahassee is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Tallahassee wins 10 and Waukegan wins 10. 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 Tallahassee to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($256,400 vs $164,400 median home), income ($52,899 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Tallahassee, FL and Waukegan, IL are about 847 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.