Appleton vs Waukegan
The short version
- Appleton is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 11% lower than in the Waukegan area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $190,900 in Waukegan and $231,400 in Appleton.
- Households earn more in Appleton ($80,483 vs $71,919 median).
- Waukegan has the warmer winter: January highs of 31°F vs 25°F.
- Commutes are shorter in Appleton (19 vs 26 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Appleton, WI | Waukegan, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 75,452 | 87,940 |
| Growth since 2020 | -0.3% | -1.5% |
| People per square mile | 2,968 | 3,625 |
| Median age | 37.5 | 35.5 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38% | 21% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $80,483 | $71,919 |
| Median home value | $231,400 | $190,900 |
| Home value to income | 2.9× | 2.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,030 | $1,205 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 92.4 | 103.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 70.8 | 112.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $69,300 | $77,700 |
| Homeowners | 67% | 50% |
| Top state income tax | 7.65% | 4.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 5.72% | 8.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 19.3 | 26.1 |
| Work from home | 13% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.5% | 6.4% |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 15.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 25° / 10° | 31° / 16° |
| July high / low | 82° / 61° | 81° / 62° |
| Precipitation per year | 33 in | 35 in |
| Snowfall per year | 49 in | 43 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 6 | 9 |
| Nights below freezing | 157 | 132 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Low | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 79.7 | 96.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 72% | 30% |
| Home prices, past year | +5.1% | +5.2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +56.8% | +51.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Appleton: May and July to September. Waukegan: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Appleton weather by month and Waukegan weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $69,300 in Appleton and $77,700 in Waukegan. Moving from Appleton to Waukegan, you would need about $84,100 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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