Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Naperville, IL
VS
Warren, MI
🏆 Naperville leads 17 of 23 categories
Naperville
Illinois
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$143,754 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
149,089 ✓ Larger
Warren
Michigan
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$61,633
Violent Crime Index
143⚠ High
Population
138,588
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Naperville, IL
Pros
Households earn $82,121 more per year on average
85% less violent crime than Warren
More college-educated — 70.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.9 pts lower (4.5%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (83.7 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio
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 Warren
Warren, MI
Pros
Homes cost $313k less ($169,300 vs $482,600)
Rent averages $648/mo less ($1,139 vs $1,787)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Naperville
Cons
Median income trails Naperville by $82,121/yr
Violent crime (541.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (7.4% vs 4.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Naperville
Median Income
$82,121
$143,754 vs $61,633/yr
Naperville
Violent Crime
85% lower
83.7 vs 541.8 per 100k
Naperville
Unemployment
2.9 pp lower
4.5% vs 7.4% unemployment
Warren
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Warren
Median Home Value
$313k less
$169,300 vs $482,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Naperville, IL | Warren, MI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $482,600⚠ High | $169,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,787⚠ High | $1,139 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $143,754 ✓ Higher | $61,633 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.2 min⚠ High | 25.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 30 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 74 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 19.9% |
| High School or Higher | 97.5% ✓ Higher | 86.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Naperville CUSD 203 | Warren Consolidated Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F ✓ Warmer | 32.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer | 83.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" | 29.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.3" ✓ Less | 27.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,089 ✓ Larger | 138,588 |
| Median Age | 39.5 ✓ Older | 38.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.4% ✓ Higher | 71.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 21.1% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% | 16.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Naperville's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Warren's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Warren is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Naperville leads 17 of 23 categories. Naperville wins 17 and Warren 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 Warren or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($482,600 vs $169,300 median home), income ($143,754 vs $61,633), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Naperville, IL and Warren, MI are about 268 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.