Carpentersville, IL vs Waukegan, IL

Waukegan is moderately more affordable than Carpentersville, with a 13.7% lower cost of living index. Carpentersville scores 97 compared to 86 for Waukegan, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Carpentersville can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Carpentersville is $1,420/month compared to $1,163/month in Waukegan — a 22% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Waukegan is more affordable at $177,600 median vs $225,200.

Median household income in Carpentersville is $86,327 compared to $70,578 in Waukegan (+22.3%). While Carpentersville is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Carpentersville spend roughly 19.7% of their income on rent, less than the 19.8% in Waukegan.