Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Naperville, IL
VS
Virginia Beach, VA
🏆 Naperville leads 13 of 23 categories
Naperville
Illinois
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$143,754 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
149,089
Virginia Beach
Virginia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,544
Violent Crime Index
24
Population
457,900 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Naperville, IL
Pros
Households earn $56,210 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)
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 5% higher than Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
Homes cost $139k less ($343,700 vs $482,600)
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Rent averages $219/mo less ($1,568 vs $1,787)
Milder winters — January highs near 50°F vs 33°F
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Naperville
Cons
Median income trails Naperville by $56,210/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Naperville
Median Income
$56,210
$143,754 vs $87,544/yr
Virginia Beach
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Virginia Beach
Median Home Value
$139k less
$343,700 vs $482,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Naperville, IL | Virginia Beach, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $482,600⚠ High | $343,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,787⚠ High | $1,568⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $143,754 ✓ Higher | $87,544 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.2 min⚠ High | 23.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 10.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 30 ✓ Safer | 46 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 24 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 78 |
| 🎓 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 | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 39.8% |
| High School or Higher | 97.5% ✓ Higher | 94.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Naperville CUSD 203 | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F | 50.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 87.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" ✓ Drier | 54.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.3" | 3.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,089 | 457,900 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 37.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.4% ✓ Higher | 64.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 22.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Naperville's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Virginia Beach's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Virginia Beach is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Naperville leads 13 of 23 categories. Naperville wins 13 and Virginia Beach wins 10. 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 Virginia Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($482,600 vs $343,700 median home), income ($143,754 vs $87,544), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Naperville, IL and Virginia Beach, VA are about 733 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.