Evanston vs Waukegan
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $190,900 in Waukegan and $481,200 in Evanston.
- Households earn more in Evanston ($96,434 vs $71,919 median).
Side by side
| Evanston, IL | Waukegan, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 76,380 | 87,940 |
| Growth since 2020 | -2.2% | -1.5% |
| People per square mile | 9,819 | 3,625 |
| Median age | 38.4 | 35.5 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 70% | 21% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $96,434 | $71,919 |
| Median home value | $481,200 | $190,900 |
| Home value to income | 5.0× | 2.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,762 | $1,205 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 103.6 | 103.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 112.0 | 112.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $77,700 | $77,700 |
| Homeowners | 56% | 50% |
| Top state income tax | 4.95% | 4.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.98% | 8.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 27.5 | 26.1 |
| Work from home | 29% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 12% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.2% | 6.4% |
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 15.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 32° / 19° | 31° / 16° |
| July high / low | 85° / 66° | 81° / 62° |
| Precipitation per year | 38 in | 35 in |
| Snowfall per year | 38 in | 43 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 17 | 9 |
| Nights below freezing | 121 | 132 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 100.0 | 96.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 30% | 30% |
| Home prices, past year | +6.2% | +5.2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +45.5% | +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: Evanston: May to October. Waukegan: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Evanston 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 $77,700 in Evanston and $77,700 in Waukegan. Moving from Evanston to Waukegan, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Evanston 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 Evanston and Waukegan.
Which would you pick?
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