Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Naperville, IL
VS
Roanoke, VA
🏆 Naperville leads 14 of 23 categories
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
Roanoke
Virginia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,523
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
99,213
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Naperville, IL
Pros
Households earn $92,231 more per year on average
87% less violent crime than Roanoke
More college-educated — 70.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (4.5%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (83.7 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $482,600
Higher rents — median is $1,787/mo
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Roanoke
Longer commutes — 32.2 min average each way
Roanoke, VA
Pros
Homes cost $321k less ($162,000 vs $482,600)
Rent averages $870/mo less ($917 vs $1,787)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Naperville
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 33°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.9)
Cons
Median income trails Naperville by $92,231/yr
Violent crime (620.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4055.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 4.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Naperville
Median Income
$92,231
$143,754 vs $51,523/yr
Naperville
Violent Crime
87% lower
83.7 vs 620.4 per 100k
Naperville
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
4.5% vs 6.6% unemployment
Roanoke
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 90.9 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Roanoke
Median Home Value
$321k less
$162,000 vs $482,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Naperville, IL | Roanoke, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 90.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $482,600⚠ High | $162,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,787⚠ High | $917 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $143,754 ✓ Higher | $51,523 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.2 min⚠ High | 20.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 9.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 30 ✓ Safer | 175⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 193⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 | 12.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 28.4% |
| High School or Higher | 97.5% ✓ Higher | 89.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Naperville CUSD 203 | Roanoke City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F | 47.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 88.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" ✓ Drier | 42.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.3" | 14.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,089 ✓ Larger | 99,213 |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 38.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.4% ✓ Higher | 52.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 22.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% | 17.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Naperville's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Roanoke's 90.9 (US average = 100).
Roanoke is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Naperville leads 14 of 23 categories. Naperville wins 14 and Roanoke wins 9. 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 Roanoke or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($482,600 vs $162,000 median home), income ($143,754 vs $51,523), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Naperville, IL and Roanoke, VA are about 535 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.