Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Naperville, IL
VS
Peoria, AZ
🏆 Peoria leads 13 of 23 categories
Naperville
Illinois
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$143,754 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
149,089
Peoria
Arizona
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$86,759
Violent Crime Index
67
Population
191,292 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Naperville, IL
Pros
Households earn $56,995 more per year on average
67% less violent crime than Peoria
More college-educated — 70.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (83.7 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 105°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $482,600
Higher rents — median is $1,787/mo
Longer commutes — 32.2 min average each way
Peoria, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $99k less ($383,600 vs $482,600)
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.7 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 33°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (3.9%)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Rent averages $149/mo less ($1,638 vs $1,787)
Cons
Median income trails Naperville by $56,995/yr
Hot summers — July highs average 105°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Naperville
Median Income
$56,995
$143,754 vs $86,759/yr
Naperville
Violent Crime
67% lower
83.7 vs 254.7 per 100k
Peoria
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 100.7 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Peoria
Median Home Value
$99k less
$383,600 vs $482,600
Peoria
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
3.9% vs 4.5% unemployment
Peoria
Summer Heat
19.1°F warmer
July avg high 104.6°F vs 85.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Naperville, IL | Peoria, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 100.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $482,600⚠ High | $383,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,787⚠ High | $1,638⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $143,754 ✓ Higher | $86,759 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High | 3.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.2 min⚠ High | 29.2 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 17.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 30 ✓ Safer | 63 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 67 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 57 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 34.8% |
| High School or Higher | 97.5% ✓ Higher | 92.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Naperville CUSD 203 | Peoria Unified School District (4237) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" | 10.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,089 | 191,292 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.5 | 41.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.4% | 75.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 22.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% | 18.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Naperville's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Peoria's 100.7 (US average = 100).
Peoria is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Peoria leads 13 of 23 categories. Naperville wins 10 and Peoria wins 13. 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 Peoria or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($482,600 vs $383,600 median home), income ($143,754 vs $86,759), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Naperville, IL and Peoria, AZ are about 1,423 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.