City comparison
Racine, WI is about 30 miles (50 km) from Waukesha, WI in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 40 miles, or about 37 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Racine, WI to Waukesha, WI takes about 4 min, covering roughly 30 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Racine has a population of 77,453, vs 70,945 in Waukesha — about the same size. By land area, Waukesha covers about 26 sq mi vs 15 sq mi for Racine.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Racine | Waukesha | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $967/mo | $1,115/mo | 15.3% higher in Waukesha |
| Median home value | $147,000 | $267,200 | 81.8% higher in Waukesha |
| Median household income | $52,766 | $77,558 | 47.0% higher in Waukesha |
| Groceries index | 94.0 | 94.0 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 90.2 | 91.6 | 1.6% higher in Waukesha |
| Transportation index | 99.2 | 99.2 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.4 | 99.4 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Racine, you'd need $102,694 in Waukesha to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Racine, WI is about 2.6% cheaper overall than Waukesha, WI, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 6% higher in Waukesha than in Racine. If you earn $80,000 in Racine, you'd need about $82,155 in Waukesha to keep the same standard of living.