Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Naperville, IL
VS
Thousand Oaks, CA
🏆 Naperville leads 17 of 23 categories
Naperville
Illinois
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$143,754 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
149,089 ✓ Larger
Thousand Oaks
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$125,399
Violent Crime Index
27
Population
126,532
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Naperville, IL
Pros
Homes cost $418k less ($482,600 vs $900,600)
Rent averages $696/mo less ($1,787 vs $2,483)
Violent crime is well below the national average (83.7 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 70.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $18,355 more per year on average
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Thousand Oaks
Cons
Longer commutes — 32.2 min average each way
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 33°F
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 78°F vs 86°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $900,600
Higher rents — median is $2,483/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Median income trails Naperville by $18,355/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Naperville
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Naperville
Median Income
$18,355
$143,754 vs $125,399/yr
Naperville
Violent Crime
18% lower
83.7 vs 102.2 per 100k
Naperville
Median Home Value
$418k less
$482,600 vs $900,600
Naperville
Summer Heat
7.5°F warmer
July avg high 85.5°F vs 78.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Naperville, IL | Thousand Oaks, 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 ✓ Lower | $900,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,787⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,483⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $143,754 ✓ Higher | $125,399 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.2 min⚠ High | 25.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 18.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 30 ✓ Safer | 36 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 27 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 49 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 49.6% |
| High School or Higher | 97.5% ✓ Higher | 94.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Naperville CUSD 203 | Conejo Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer | 78.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" | 16.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,089 ✓ Larger | 126,532 |
| Median Age | 39.5 | 44.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.4% ✓ Higher | 69.2% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 20.3% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Naperville's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Thousand Oaks's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Naperville is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Naperville leads 17 of 23 categories. Naperville wins 17 and Thousand Oaks wins 6. 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 Thousand Oaks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($482,600 vs $900,600 median home), income ($143,754 vs $125,399), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Naperville, IL and Thousand Oaks, CA are about 1,742 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.