I have been riding a Redline Conquest Pro as my main commuter after minor disaster befell my hybrid. It's so zippy and fun to ride around my hilly city that I haven't really bothered to get my usual grocery/rain bike running again (but I'm working on it!). Most of the Conquest line runs under $2k new.
There are a few things to keep in mind about what makes a CX bike. For one, you're going to be bent forward (although not as much as you would on a road bike), which takes some getting used to. Rider positions vary a lot on cyclocross bikes based on headsets and geometry, so you might find some let you get up enough to feel comfortable riding the hoods. Also, the bike is going to feel VERY twitchy compared to your hybrid; they're designed to make quick maneuvering and acceleration as easy as possible.
fietsbob's suggestion of a Surly Long Haul Trucker is a great one. I've tested them and felt really comfy riding; they're touring bikes, which provide a different riding experience than a cyclocross machine. If there's a place near you that sells Surly bikes, you might try comparing the feel of the LHT versus the Cross-Check.
EDIT: Kona just came out this year with a cyclocross-informed commuter called the Rove. It looks like a great all-arounder, it doesn't have some of the more expensive racing trappings, and it comes in around $1700 new.
http://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=rove#1