Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Naperville, IL
VS
Tulsa, OK
🏆 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
Tulsa
Oklahoma
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,648
Violent Crime Index
248⚠ High
Population
411,938 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Naperville, IL
Pros
Households earn $87,106 more per year on average
91% less violent crime than Tulsa
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 1.3 pts lower (4.5%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 94°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $482,600
Higher rents — median is $1,787/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Tulsa
Longer commutes — 32.2 min average each way
Tulsa, OK
Pros
Homes cost $308k less ($174,200 vs $482,600)
Rent averages $829/mo less ($958 vs $1,787)
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Naperville
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 33°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Cons
Median income trails Naperville by $87,106/yr
Violent crime (941.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3627.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.8% vs 4.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Naperville
Median Income
$87,106
$143,754 vs $56,648/yr
Naperville
Violent Crime
91% lower
83.7 vs 941.9 per 100k
Naperville
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.8% unemployment
Tulsa
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Tulsa
Median Home Value
$308k less
$174,200 vs $482,600
Tulsa
Summer Heat
8.1°F warmer
July avg high 93.6°F vs 85.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Naperville, IL | Tulsa, OK |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $482,600⚠ High | $174,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,787⚠ High | $958 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $143,754 ✓ Higher | $56,648 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.2 min⚠ High | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 30 ✓ Safer | 218⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 173⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 32.9% |
| High School or Higher | 97.5% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Naperville CUSD 203 | TULSA |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F | 48.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 93.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" ✓ Drier | 44.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.3" | 8.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,089 | 411,938 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.4% ✓ Higher | 52.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 24.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Naperville's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Tulsa's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Tulsa is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Naperville leads 14 of 23 categories. Naperville wins 14 and Tulsa 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 Tulsa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($482,600 vs $174,200 median home), income ($143,754 vs $56,648), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Naperville, IL and Tulsa, OK are about 569 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.