Waukegan vs Wheeling
Waukegan, Illinois versus Wheeling, 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 Wheeling on overall objective livability (48 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Waukegan | Wheeling |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $66k | $80k |
| Cost of Living | $62k | $62k |
| Home Value | $164k | $237k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $15k | $10k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.72% | 2.42% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.70% | 15.10% |
| Unemployment | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.3 in | 32.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 43.4 in | 33.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 91 days | 95 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 37.7 | 82.0 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 86.4 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 87/100k | 902/100k |
| Property Crime | 118/100k | 963/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 89,435 | 38,823 |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 39.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.76 | 0.63 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | D+25 | D+25 |
| White (%) | 19.2% | 48.1% |
| Black (%) | 17.8% | 1.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 52.6% | 31.8% |
| Asian (%) | 7.0% | 16.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.4% | 2.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 12.7/20 | 11.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 27 mi | 11 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.9% | 91.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 26.50 | 112.30 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
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 Waukegan or Wheeling more affordable?
- Wheeling has the lower cost of living: its index is $62k, compared with Waukegan's $62k and Wheeling's $62k. Median rent is $1k in Waukegan versus $1k in Wheeling.
- Is Waukegan or Wheeling safer?
- Waukegan has the lower violent crime rate. Waukegan reports 87/100k and Wheeling reports 902/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Waukegan or Wheeling?
- The median home value is $164k in Waukegan and $237k in Wheeling, so homes are more affordable in Waukegan.