Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Naperville, IL
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 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 ✓ Larger
Visalia
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,658
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
141,466
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Naperville, IL
Pros
Households earn $68,096 more per year on average
81% less violent crime than Visalia
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 1.1 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
Longer commutes — 32.2 min average each way
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $166k less ($316,600 vs $482,600)
Rent averages $498/mo less ($1,289 vs $1,787)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 55°F vs 33°F
Cons
Median income trails Naperville by $68,096/yr
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Naperville
Median Income
$68,096
$143,754 vs $75,658/yr
Naperville
Violent Crime
81% lower
83.7 vs 435.3 per 100k
Naperville
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.6% unemployment
Visalia
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Median Home Value
$166k less
$316,600 vs $482,600
Visalia
Summer Heat
8.3°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 85.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Naperville, IL | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $482,600⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,787⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $143,754 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.2 min⚠ High | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 30 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 97.5% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Naperville CUSD 203 | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F | 55.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.3" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,089 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.4% ✓ Higher | 60.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.9% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Naperville's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Visalia is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Naperville leads 14 of 23 categories. Naperville wins 14 and Visalia 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 Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($482,600 vs $316,600 median home), income ($143,754 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Naperville, IL and Visalia, CA are about 1,704 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.