Head-to-Head · City Comparison
The Woodlands, TX
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 The Woodlands leads 17 of 22 categories
The Woodlands
Texas
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$142,384 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
62 ✓ Safer
Population
118,402 ✓ 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.
The Woodlands, TX
Pros
Households earn $76,307 more per year on average
47% less violent crime than Waukegan
More college-educated — 66.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (235.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 30°F
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Waukegan
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $456,400
Higher rents — median is $1,723/mo
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $292k less ($164,400 vs $456,400)
Rent averages $591/mo less ($1,132 vs $1,723)
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails The Woodlands by $76,307/yr
Violent crime (445.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Snowy winters — about 43" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 2% higher than The Woodlands
Key Differences at a Glance
The Woodlands
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
The Woodlands
Median Income
$76,307
$142,384 vs $66,077/yr
The Woodlands
Violent Crime
47% lower
235.4 vs 445.2 per 100k
The Woodlands
Summer Heat
12.5°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 81.7°F
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$292k less
$164,400 vs $456,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | The Woodlands, TX | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 102.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $456,400⚠ High | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,723⚠ High | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $142,384 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.2 min⚠ High | 26.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 17.6% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 62 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 62 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 61 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (128) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 66.3% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 97.3% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | CONROE ISD | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.4" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 118,402 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 40.7 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.6% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 27.7% ✓ More | 25.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.7% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
The Woodlands's cost of living index is 100.2 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
The Woodlands is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, The Woodlands leads 17 of 22 categories. The Woodlands wins 17 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 The Woodlands to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($456,400 vs $164,400 median home), income ($142,384 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
The Woodlands, TX and Waukegan, IL are about 943 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.