Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Naperville, IL
VS
Thornton, CO
🏆 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
Thornton
Colorado
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$95,064
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
141,799
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Naperville, IL
Pros
69% less violent crime than Thornton
Households earn $48,690 more per year on average
More college-educated — 70.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (83.7 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 91°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $482,600
Thornton, CO
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 48°F vs 33°F
Homes cost $37k less ($445,200 vs $482,600)
Cons
Median income trails Naperville by $48,690/yr
Property crime (2835.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Naperville
Key Differences at a Glance
Naperville
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Naperville
Median Income
$48,690
$143,754 vs $95,064/yr
Naperville
Violent Crime
69% lower
83.7 vs 273.6 per 100k
Thornton
Median Home Value
$37k less
$445,200 vs $482,600
Thornton
Summer Heat
5.6°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 85.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Naperville, IL | Thornton, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 105.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $482,600⚠ High | $445,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,787⚠ High | $1,758⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $143,754 ✓ Higher | $95,064 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.2 min⚠ High | 30.9 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 30 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 30.7% |
| High School or Higher | 97.5% ✓ Higher | 87.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Naperville CUSD 203 | Adams 12 Five Star Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F | 48.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" | 16.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.3" ✓ Less | 44.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,089 ✓ Larger | 141,799 |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 33.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.4% ✓ Higher | 72.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% | 26.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.9% ✓ More | 10.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Naperville's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Thornton's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Naperville is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Naperville leads 16 of 23 categories. Naperville wins 16 and Thornton 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 Thornton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($482,600 vs $445,200 median home), income ($143,754 vs $95,064), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Naperville, IL and Thornton, CO are about 885 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.