Head-to-Head · City Comparison
McAllen, TX
VS
Naperville, IL
🏆 Naperville leads 14 of 23 categories
McAllen
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,326
Violent Crime Index
39
Population
142,722
Naperville
Illinois
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
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.
McAllen, TX
Pros
Homes cost $324k less ($158,700 vs $482,600)
Rent averages $832/mo less ($955 vs $1,787)
Violent crime is well below the national average (150.0 vs 380/100k)
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Naperville
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 33°F
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Naperville by $87,428/yr
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.5%)
Naperville, IL
Pros
Households earn $87,428 more per year on average
44% less violent crime than McAllen
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 0.9 pts lower (4.5%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 98°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $482,600
Higher rents — median is $1,787/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than McAllen
Longer commutes — 32.2 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
McAllen
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 85.6 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
McAllen
Median Home Value
$324k less
$158,700 vs $482,600
McAllen
Summer Heat
12.0°F warmer
July avg high 97.5°F vs 85.5°F
Naperville
Median Income
$87,428
$143,754 vs $56,326/yr
Naperville
Violent Crime
44% lower
83.7 vs 150.0 per 100k
Naperville
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | McAllen, TX | Naperville, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 85.6 ✓ Cheaper | 102.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $158,700 ✓ Lower | $482,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $955 ✓ Lower | $1,787⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,326 | $143,754 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.4 min ✓ Shorter | 32.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 9.5% | 23.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 59 | 30 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 | 22 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 87 | 42 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) | A+ (135) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.8% | 70.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 78.7% | 97.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | MCALLEN ISD | Naperville CUSD 203 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 71.4°F ✓ Warmer | 32.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 97.5°F ✓ Warmer | 85.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 27.4" ✓ Drier | 40.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" ✓ Less | 24.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,722 | 149,089 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 39.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.4% | 74.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 28.3% ✓ More | 24.8% |
| Over 65 | 13.1% | 13.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
McAllen's cost of living index is 85.6 vs Naperville's 102.6 (US average = 100).
McAllen is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Naperville leads 14 of 23 categories. McAllen wins 9 and Naperville wins 14. 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 McAllen to Naperville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($158,700 vs $482,600 median home), income ($56,326 vs $143,754), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
McAllen, TX and Naperville, IL are about 1,216 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.