Racine County vs Waukesha County
Racine County, Wisconsin versus Waukesha County, Wisconsin: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Racine County and Waukesha County score about the same overall (50 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Racine County | Waukesha County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $73k | $102k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $52k |
| Home Value | $227k | $353k |
| Monthly Rent | $985 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.76% | 1.27% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.96% | 13.90% |
| Unemployment | 4.4% | 2.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.7 in | 36.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 40.1 in | 41.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 184 days | 184 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 96 days | 98 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 85.4 | 88.9 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 69.2 | 49.0 |
| Violent Crime | 648/100k | 282/100k |
| Property Crime | 937/100k | 692/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 197,068 | 407,290 |
| Median Age | 40.2 | 43.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.40 | 0.20 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+21 |
| White (%) | 69.9% | 86.6% |
| Black (%) | 10.7% | 1.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 14.5% | 5.1% |
| Asian (%) | 1.3% | 3.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.7% | 2.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 10.0/20 | 8.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 17 mi | 21 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.8% | 92.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 2.99 | 4.20 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Racine County or Waukesha County more affordable?
- Racine County has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Racine County's $44k and Waukesha County's $52k. Median rent is $985 in Racine County versus $1k in Waukesha County.
- Is Racine County or Waukesha County safer?
- Waukesha County has the lower violent crime rate. Racine County reports 648/100k and Waukesha County reports 282/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Racine County or Waukesha County?
- The median home value is $227k in Racine County and $353k in Waukesha County, so homes are more affordable in Racine County.