Buffalo Grove vs Waukegan
Buffalo Grove, 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.
Buffalo Grove and Waukegan score about the same overall (46 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Buffalo Grove | Waukegan |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $128k | $66k |
| Cost of Living | $62k | $62k |
| Home Value | $381k | $164k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.63% | 2.72% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.76% | 14.70% |
| Unemployment | 3.3% | 5.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.6 in | 35.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 43.1 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 | 65.0 | 37.7 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 86.4 |
| Violent Crime | 148/100k | 87/100k |
| Property Crime | 615/100k | 118/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 42,934 | 89,435 |
| Median Age | 41.6 | 34.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.51 | 0.76 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.92 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | D+25 | D+25 |
| White (%) | 61.4% | 19.2% |
| Black (%) | 3.6% | 17.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.8% | 52.6% |
| Asian (%) | 25.4% | 7.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.8% | 3.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 10.4/20 | 12.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 14 mi | 27 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.1% | 87.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 82.22 | 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 Buffalo Grove or Waukegan more affordable?
- Waukegan has the lower cost of living: its index is $62k, compared with Buffalo Grove's $62k and Waukegan's $62k. Median rent is $2k in Buffalo Grove versus $1k in Waukegan.
- Is Buffalo Grove or Waukegan safer?
- Waukegan has the lower violent crime rate. Buffalo Grove reports 148/100k and Waukegan reports 87/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Buffalo Grove or Waukegan?
- The median home value is $381k in Buffalo Grove and $164k in Waukegan, so homes are more affordable in Waukegan.