Arlington Heights vs Waukegan
Arlington Heights, Illinois versus Waukegan, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Waukegan edges out Arlington Heights on overall objective livability (49 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Arlington Heights | Waukegan |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $114k | $66k |
| Cost of Living | $62k | $62k |
| Home Value | $397k | $164k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.21% | 2.72% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.63% | 14.70% |
| Unemployment | 3.5% | 5.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.3 in | 35.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.4 in | 43.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 94 days | 91 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 72.4 | 37.7 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 86.4 |
| Violent Crime | 539/100k | 87/100k |
| Property Crime | 1082/100k | 118/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 76,794 | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 42.8 | 34.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.39 | 0.76 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | D+25 | D+25 |
| White (%) | 74.8% | 19.2% |
| Black (%) | 2.6% | 17.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.9% | 52.6% |
| Asian (%) | 11.1% | 7.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 10.6/20 | 12.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 9 mi | 27 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.9% | 87.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 73.83 | 26.50 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Arlington Heights or Waukegan more affordable?
- Waukegan has the lower cost of living: its index is $62k, compared with Arlington Heights's $62k and Waukegan's $62k. Median rent is $2k in Arlington Heights versus $1k in Waukegan.
- Is Arlington Heights or Waukegan safer?
- Waukegan has the lower violent crime rate. Arlington Heights reports 539/100k and Waukegan reports 87/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Arlington Heights or Waukegan?
- The median home value is $397k in Arlington Heights and $164k in Waukegan, so homes are more affordable in Waukegan.