Champaign vs Waukegan
The short version
- Champaign 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 $210,900 in Champaign.
- Households earn more in Waukegan ($71,919 vs $56,118 median).
- Waukegan gets far more snow: 43 inches a year vs 21.
- Champaign is growing faster: +3.3% since 2020 vs -1.5%.
- Commutes are shorter in Champaign (15 vs 26 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Champaign, IL | Waukegan, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 91,195 | 87,940 |
| Growth since 2020 | +3.3% | -1.5% |
| People per square mile | 3,961 | 3,625 |
| Median age | 26.6 | 35.5 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53% | 21% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $56,118 | $71,919 |
| Median home value | $210,900 | $190,900 |
| Home value to income | 3.8× | 2.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,123 | $1,205 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 92.7 | 103.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 71.6 | 112.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $69,500 | $77,700 |
| Homeowners | 44% | 50% |
| Top state income tax | 4.95% | 4.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.98% | 8.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 14.9 | 26.1 |
| Work from home | 17% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 5% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.8% | 6.4% |
| Poverty rate | 25.9% | 15.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 34° / 18° | 31° / 16° |
| July high / low | 85° / 65° | 81° / 62° |
| Precipitation per year | 41 in | 35 in |
| Snowfall per year | 21 in | 43 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 23 | 9 |
| Nights below freezing | 120 | 132 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 90.5 | 96.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 66% | 30% |
| Home prices, past year | +5.4% | +5.2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +47.5% | +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: Champaign: July to October. Waukegan: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Champaign 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 $69,500 in Champaign and $77,700 in Waukegan. Moving from Champaign to Waukegan, you would need about $83,800 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Champaign and Waukegan
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Champaign and Waukegan.
Which would you pick?
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