Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Naperville, IL
VS
Omaha, NE
🏆 Naperville leads 16 of 23 categories
Naperville
Illinois
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$143,754 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
149,089
Omaha
Nebraska
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$70,202
Violent Crime Index
97
Population
489,201 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Naperville, IL
Pros
Households earn $73,552 more per year on average
77% less violent crime than Omaha
More college-educated — 70.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (83.7 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $482,600
Higher rents — median is $1,787/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Omaha
Longer commutes — 32.2 min average each way
Omaha, NE
Pros
Homes cost $272k less ($210,300 vs $482,600)
Rent averages $688/mo less ($1,099 vs $1,787)
Commutes run 13 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Naperville
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.5)
Cons
Median income trails Naperville by $73,552/yr
Property crime (3161.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Naperville
Median Income
$73,552
$143,754 vs $70,202/yr
Naperville
Violent Crime
77% lower
83.7 vs 369.0 per 100k
Omaha
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 92.5 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Omaha
Median Home Value
$272k less
$210,300 vs $482,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Naperville, IL | Omaha, NE |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 92.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $482,600⚠ High | $210,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,787⚠ High | $1,099 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $143,754 ✓ Higher | $70,202 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.2 min⚠ High | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 11.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 30 ✓ Safer | 118⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 151⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 39.2% |
| High School or Higher | 97.5% ✓ Higher | 90.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Naperville CUSD 203 | OMAHA PUBLIC SCHOOLS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F ✓ Warmer | 32.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer | 85.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" | 33.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.3" ✓ Less | 27.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,089 | 489,201 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 35.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.4% ✓ Higher | 57.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 24.5% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% ✓ More | 13.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Naperville's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Omaha's 92.5 (US average = 100).
Omaha is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Naperville leads 16 of 23 categories. Naperville wins 16 and Omaha wins 7. 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 Naperville to Omaha or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($482,600 vs $210,300 median home), income ($143,754 vs $70,202), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Naperville, IL and Omaha, NE are about 410 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.