Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Naperville, IL
VS
Santa Maria, 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
Santa Maria
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$81,237
Violent Crime Index
174⚠ High
Population
109,543
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Naperville, IL
Pros
Households earn $62,517 more per year on average
87% less violent crime than Santa Maria
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 1.8 pts lower (4.5%)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Maria
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $482,600
Longer commutes — 32.2 min average each way
Santa Maria, CA
Pros
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 33°F
Homes cost $45k less ($438,100 vs $482,600)
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 86°F
Cons
Median income trails Naperville by $62,517/yr
Violent crime (660.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Naperville
Key Differences at a Glance
Naperville
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Naperville
Median Income
$62,517
$143,754 vs $81,237/yr
Naperville
Violent Crime
87% lower
83.7 vs 660.6 per 100k
Naperville
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
4.5% vs 6.3% unemployment
Naperville
Summer Heat
12.2°F warmer
July avg high 85.5°F vs 73.3°F
Santa Maria
Median Home Value
$45k less
$438,100 vs $482,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Naperville, IL | Santa Maria, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $482,600⚠ High | $438,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,787⚠ High | $1,768⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $143,754 ✓ Higher | $81,237 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.2 min⚠ High | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 30 ✓ Safer | 140⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 174⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 90 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | C- (62) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 14.5% |
| High School or Higher | 97.5% ✓ Higher | 63.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Naperville CUSD 203 | Santa Maria-Bonita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F | 64.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer | 73.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" | 13.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,089 ✓ Larger | 109,543 |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 29.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.4% ✓ Higher | 51.2% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% | 31.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.9% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Naperville's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Santa Maria's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Naperville is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Naperville leads 16 of 23 categories. Naperville wins 16 and Santa Maria 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 Santa Maria or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($482,600 vs $438,100 median home), income ($143,754 vs $81,237), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Naperville, IL and Santa Maria, CA are about 1,800 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.