Hartford 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 $228,600 in Hartford.
- Households earn more in Waukegan ($71,919 vs $46,411 median).
- Hartford has the warmer winter: January highs of 35°F vs 31°F.
- Hartford gets far more snow: 52 inches a year vs 43.
- Commutes are shorter in Hartford (23 vs 26 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Waukegan, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 121,981 | 87,940 |
| Growth since 2020 | +0.3% | -1.5% |
| People per square mile | 7,019 | 3,625 |
| Median age | 33.1 | 35.5 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19% | 21% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $46,411 | $71,919 |
| Median home value | $228,600 | $190,900 |
| Home value to income | 4.9× | 2.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,269 | $1,205 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 102.7 | 103.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 110.2 | 112.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $77,100 | $77,700 |
| Homeowners | 26% | 50% |
| Top state income tax | 6.99% | 4.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.35% | 8.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 23.1 | 26.1 |
| Work from home | 9% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 13% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 10.7% | 6.4% |
| Poverty rate | 26.3% | 15.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 35° / 19° | 31° / 16° |
| July high / low | 85° / 63° | 81° / 62° |
| Precipitation per year | 47 in | 35 in |
| Snowfall per year | 52 in | 43 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 20 | 9 |
| Nights below freezing | 126 | 132 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | n/a | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | n/a | 96.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 67% | 30% |
| Home prices, past year | +5.8% | +5.2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +57.7% | +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: Hartford: May to September. Waukegan: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Hartford 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 $77,100 in Hartford and $77,700 in Waukegan. Moving from Hartford to Waukegan, you would need about $75,600 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.