Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Naperville, IL
VS
Tempe, AZ
🏆 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
Tempe
Arizona
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
99.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,022
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High
Population
181,005 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Naperville, IL
Pros
Households earn $71,732 more per year on average
82% less violent crime than Tempe
Violent crime is well below the national average (83.7 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 70.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (4.5%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 106°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $482,600
Higher rents — median is $1,787/mo
Longer commutes — 32.2 min average each way
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Tempe
Tempe, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $101k less ($382,100 vs $482,600)
Rent averages $315/mo less ($1,472 vs $1,787)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 33°F
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Naperville
Cons
Median income trails Naperville by $71,732/yr
Violent crime (470.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2893.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Naperville
Median Income
$71,732
$143,754 vs $72,022/yr
Naperville
Violent Crime
82% lower
83.7 vs 470.3 per 100k
Naperville
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.7% unemployment
Tempe
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 99.9 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Tempe
Median Home Value
$101k less
$382,100 vs $482,600
Tempe
Summer Heat
20.4°F warmer
July avg high 105.9°F vs 85.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Naperville, IL | Tempe, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 99.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $482,600⚠ High | $382,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,787⚠ High | $1,472⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $143,754 ✓ Higher | $72,022 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.2 min⚠ High | 21.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 16.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 30 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | A (125) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| High School or Higher | 97.5% ✓ Higher | 93.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Naperville CUSD 203 | Tempe School District (4258) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F | 70.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 105.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" | 8.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,089 | 181,005 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 29.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.4% ✓ Higher | 40.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 14.4% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% ✓ More | 10.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Naperville's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Tempe's 99.9 (US average = 100).
Tempe is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Naperville leads 14 of 23 categories. Naperville wins 14 and Tempe 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 Tempe or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($482,600 vs $382,100 median home), income ($143,754 vs $72,022), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Naperville, IL and Tempe, AZ are about 1,418 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.