Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Toms River, NJ
VS
Waukegan, IL
🏆 Toms River leads 15 of 23 categories
Toms River
New Jersey
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$92,012 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
92,827 ✓ 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.
Toms River, NJ
Pros
70% less violent crime than Waukegan
Households earn $25,935 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (134.3 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 34.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 42°F vs 30°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $356,100
Higher rents — median is $1,592/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Waukegan
Waukegan, IL
Pros
Homes cost $192k less ($164,400 vs $356,100)
Rent averages $460/mo less ($1,132 vs $1,592)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Toms River
Cons
Median income trails Toms River by $25,935/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
Toms River
Median Income
$25,935
$92,012 vs $66,077/yr
Toms River
Violent Crime
70% lower
134.3 vs 445.2 per 100k
Toms River
Summer Heat
3.8°F warmer
July avg high 85.5°F vs 81.7°F
Waukegan
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Waukegan
Median Home Value
$192k less
$164,400 vs $356,100
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Toms River, NJ | Waukegan, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $356,100⚠ High | $164,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,592⚠ High | $1,132 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,012 ✓ Higher | $66,077 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.9 min⚠ High | 26.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 43 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.4% ✓ Higher | 21.5% |
| High School or Higher | 93.4% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Toms River Regional School District | Waukegan CUSD 60 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 41.6°F ✓ Warmer | 29.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer | 81.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.0" | 35.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 23.7" ✓ Less | 43.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,827 ✓ Larger | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 42.3 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 80.6% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Toms River's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Waukegan's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Waukegan is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Toms River leads 15 of 23 categories. Toms River 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 Toms River to Waukegan or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($356,100 vs $164,400 median home), income ($92,012 vs $66,077), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Toms River, NJ and Waukegan, IL are about 729 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.