Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Naperville, IL
VS
Sunnyvale, CA
🏆 Naperville leads 15 of 23 categories
Naperville
Illinois
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$143,754
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
149,089
Sunnyvale
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$174,506 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
64
Population
154,573 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Naperville, IL
Pros
Homes cost $1198k less ($482,600 vs $1,680,700)
Rent averages $1203/mo less ($1,787 vs $2,990)
66% less violent crime than Sunnyvale
Violent crime is well below the national average (83.7 vs 380/100k)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Sunnyvale
Smaller class sizes — 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Sunnyvale by $30,752/yr
Longer commutes — 32.2 min average each way
Sunnyvale, CA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (244.5 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $30,752 more per year on average
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 33°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 86°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,680,700
Higher rents — median is $2,990/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.9)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Naperville
Key Differences at a Glance
Naperville
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
Naperville
Violent Crime
66% lower
83.7 vs 244.5 per 100k
Naperville
Median Home Value
$1198k less
$482,600 vs $1,680,700
Naperville
Summer Heat
8.6°F warmer
July avg high 85.5°F vs 76.9°F
Sunnyvale
Median Income
$30,752
$174,506 vs $143,754/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Naperville, IL | Sunnyvale, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 112.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $482,600⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,680,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,787⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,990⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $143,754 | $174,506 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.2 min⚠ High | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.5% | 24.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 30 ✓ Safer | 75 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 64 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 91 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | A- (112) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 68.0% |
| High School or Higher | 97.5% ✓ Higher | 94.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Naperville CUSD 203 | Cupertino Union |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer | 76.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" | 13.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,089 | 154,573 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 35.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.4% ✓ Higher | 44.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 19.9% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% ✓ More | 12.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Naperville's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Sunnyvale's 112.9 (US average = 100).
Naperville is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Naperville leads 15 of 23 categories. Naperville wins 15 and Sunnyvale wins 8. 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 Sunnyvale or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($482,600 vs $1,680,700 median home), income ($143,754 vs $174,506), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Naperville, IL and Sunnyvale, CA are about 1,817 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.