Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Naperville, IL
VS
Redding, CA
🏆 Naperville leads 16 of 23 categories
Naperville
Illinois
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$143,754 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
149,089 ✓ Larger
Redding
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$67,323
Violent Crime Index
170⚠ High
Population
93,327
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Naperville, IL
Pros
Households earn $76,431 more per year on average
87% less violent crime than Redding
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 1.4 pts lower (4.5%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 100°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $482,600
Higher rents — median is $1,787/mo
Longer commutes — 32.2 min average each way
Redding, CA
Pros
Homes cost $140k less ($343,000 vs $482,600)
Rent averages $509/mo less ($1,278 vs $1,787)
Commutes run 16 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 57°F vs 33°F
Cons
Median income trails Naperville by $76,431/yr
Violent crime (647.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.9% vs 4.5%)
Hot summers — July highs average 100°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Naperville
Median Income
$76,431
$143,754 vs $67,323/yr
Naperville
Violent Crime
87% lower
83.7 vs 647.8 per 100k
Naperville
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.9% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 102.6 on the COL index
Redding
Median Home Value
$140k less
$343,000 vs $482,600
Redding
Summer Heat
14.4°F warmer
July avg high 99.9°F vs 85.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Naperville, IL | Redding, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 102.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $482,600⚠ High | $343,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,787⚠ High | $1,278 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $143,754 ✓ Higher | $67,323 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.2 min⚠ High | 16.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 6.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 30 ✓ Safer | 136⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 170⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 83 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | C (77) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 26.4% |
| High School or Higher | 97.5% ✓ Higher | 92.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Naperville CUSD 203 | Redding Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F | 57.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 99.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" ✓ Drier | 41.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.3" | 0.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,089 ✓ Larger | 93,327 |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 38.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.4% ✓ Higher | 54.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 22.5% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Naperville's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Redding's 102.8 (US average = 100).
Naperville is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Naperville leads 16 of 23 categories. Naperville wins 16 and Redding 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 Redding or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($482,600 vs $343,000 median home), income ($143,754 vs $67,323), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Naperville, IL and Redding, CA are about 1,769 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.