Waukegan vs Arlington Heights
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $190,900 in Waukegan and $414,500 in Arlington Heights.
- Households earn more in Arlington Heights ($116,723 vs $71,919 median).
Side by side
| Waukegan, IL | Arlington Heights, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 87,940 | 76,216 |
| Growth since 2020 | -1.5% | -1.9% |
| People per square mile | 3,625 | 4,588 |
| Median age | 35.5 | 42.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21% | 60% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $71,919 | $116,723 |
| Median home value | $190,900 | $414,500 |
| Home value to income | 2.7× | 3.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,205 | $1,760 |
| 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 | 50% | 74% |
| Top state income tax | 4.95% | 4.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.98% | 8.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 26.1 | 27.7 |
| Work from home | 8% | 25% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 4% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.4% | 3.5% |
| Poverty rate | 15.3% | 6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 31° / 16° | 32° / 19° |
| July high / low | 81° / 62° | 85° / 66° |
| Precipitation per year | 35 in | 38 in |
| Snowfall per year | 43 in | 38 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 9 | 17 |
| Nights below freezing | 132 | 121 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 96.0 | 100.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 30% | 30% |
| Home prices, past year | +5.2% | +6.2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +51.8% | +45.5% |
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: Waukegan: May to September. Arlington Heights: May to October.
Full monthly tables: Waukegan weather by month and Arlington Heights 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 Waukegan and $77,700 in Arlington Heights. Moving from Waukegan to Arlington Heights, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Waukegan and Arlington Heights
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Waukegan and Arlington Heights.
Which would you pick?
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