Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Joliet, IL
VS
Naperville, IL
🏆 Naperville leads 15 of 22 categories
Joliet
Illinois
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,971
Violent Crime Index
92
Population
150,221 ✓ Larger
Naperville
Illinois
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$143,754 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
149,089
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Joliet, IL
Pros
Homes cost $249k less ($233,800 vs $482,600)
Rent averages $613/mo less ($1,174 vs $1,787)
Cons
Median income trails Naperville by $58,783/yr
Higher unemployment (6.2% vs 4.5%)
Naperville, IL
Pros
Households earn $58,783 more per year on average
76% less violent crime than Joliet
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 1.7 pts lower (4.5%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $482,600
Higher rents — median is $1,787/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Joliet
Median Home Value
$249k less
$233,800 vs $482,600
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 102.6 on the COL index
Naperville
Median Income
$58,783
$143,754 vs $84,971/yr
Naperville
Violent Crime
76% lower
83.7 vs 350.0 per 100k
Naperville
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
4.5% vs 6.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Joliet, IL | Naperville, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $233,800 ✓ Lower | $482,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,174 ✓ Lower | $1,787⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $84,971 | $143,754 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 32.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 23.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 79 | 30 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 92 | 22 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 59 | 42 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) | A+ (135) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.2:1 | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.9% | 70.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 84.8% | 97.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Joliet PSD 86 | Naperville CUSD 203 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 31.1°F | 32.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.6°F | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.2" ✓ Drier | 40.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 16.9" ✓ Less | 24.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,221 ✓ Larger | 149,089 |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 39.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.4% | 74.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 26.5% ✓ More | 24.8% |
| Over 65 | 10.2% | 13.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Joliet's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Naperville's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Naperville leads 15 of 22 categories. Joliet wins 7 and Naperville wins 15. 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 Joliet to Naperville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($233,800 vs $482,600 median home), income ($84,971 vs $143,754), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Joliet, IL and Naperville, IL are about 16 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.