Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Gresham, OR
VS
Naperville, IL
🏆 Naperville leads 17 of 23 categories
Gresham
Oregon
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$69,437
Violent Crime Index
108⚠ High
Population
113,525
Naperville
Illinois
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$143,754 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
149,089 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Gresham, OR
Pros
Rent averages $335/mo less ($1,452 vs $1,787)
Homes cost $71k less ($411,700 vs $482,600)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 33°F
Cons
Median income trails Naperville by $74,317/yr
Higher unemployment (5.8% vs 4.5%)
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Naperville
Naperville, IL
Pros
Households earn $74,317 more per year on average
80% less violent crime than Gresham
More college-educated — 70.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (83.7 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (4.5%)
Smaller class sizes — 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,787/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $482,600
Longer commutes — 32.2 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Gresham
Median Home Value
$71k less
$411,700 vs $482,600
Naperville
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 106.6 (100 = US avg)
Naperville
Median Income
$74,317
$143,754 vs $69,437/yr
Naperville
Violent Crime
80% lower
83.7 vs 410.2 per 100k
Naperville
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.8% unemployment
Naperville
Summer Heat
3.9°F warmer
July avg high 85.5°F vs 81.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Gresham, OR | Naperville, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.6⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $411,700⚠ High ✓ Lower | $482,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,452⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,787⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $69,437 | $143,754 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.5 min ✓ Shorter | 32.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 10.2% | 23.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 111⚠ High | 30 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 22 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 116⚠ High | 42 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (81) | A+ (135) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.9:1 | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.2% | 70.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.1% | 97.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Gresham-Barlow SD 10J | Naperville CUSD 203 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.7°F ✓ Warmer | 32.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 81.6°F | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.7" | 40.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.4" ✓ Less | 24.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 113,525 | 149,089 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.3 | 39.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.3% | 74.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.7% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Gresham's cost of living index is 106.6 vs Naperville's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Naperville is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Naperville leads 17 of 23 categories. Gresham wins 6 and Naperville wins 17. 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 Gresham to Naperville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($411,700 vs $482,600 median home), income ($69,437 vs $143,754), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Gresham, OR and Naperville, IL are about 1,721 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.