Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Aurora, IL
VS
Sunrise, FL
🏆 Aurora leads 12 of 20 categories
Aurora
Illinois
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,943 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
70
Population
181,405 ✓ Larger
Sunrise
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,001
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
96,510
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Aurora, IL
Pros
Households earn $19,942 more per year on average
Rent averages $384/mo less ($1,462 vs $1,846)
Homes cost $55k less ($241,600 vs $296,100)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (5.6%)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Sunrise
More college-educated — 35.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Sunrise, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 31°F
Cons
Median income trails Aurora by $19,942/yr
Higher rents — median is $1,846/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 5.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Aurora
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Aurora
Median Income
$19,942
$85,943 vs $66,001/yr
Aurora
Median Home Value
$55k less
$241,600 vs $296,100
Aurora
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.5% unemployment
Sunrise
Summer Heat
7.1°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 84.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Aurora, IL | Sunrise, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $241,600 ✓ Lower | $296,100 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,462⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,846⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,943 ✓ Higher | $66,001 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 27.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.1% ✓ Higher | 10.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 66 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.2% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 80.9% | 91.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Indian Prairie CUSD 204 | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 30.5°F | 76.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.0°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" ✓ Drier | 67.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.9" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 181,405 ✓ Larger | 96,510 |
| Median Age | 35.4 | 42.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% | 69.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 26.7% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 10.5% | 19.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Aurora's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Sunrise's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Aurora is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Aurora leads 12 of 20 categories. Aurora wins 12 and Sunrise wins 8. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Aurora to Sunrise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($241,600 vs $296,100 median home), income ($85,943 vs $66,001), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Aurora, IL and Sunrise, FL are about 1,170 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.