Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Naperville, IL
VS
West Palm Beach, FL
🏆 Naperville leads 15 of 23 categories
Naperville
Illinois
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$143,754 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22 ✓ Safer
Population
149,089 ✓ Larger
West Palm Beach
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,044
Violent Crime Index
152⚠ High
Population
117,588
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Naperville, IL
Pros
Households earn $79,710 more per year on average
85% less violent crime than West Palm Beach
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 1.7 pts lower (4.5%)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than West Palm Beach
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $482,600
Higher rents — median is $1,787/mo
Longer commutes — 32.2 min average each way
West Palm Beach, FL
Pros
Homes cost $158k less ($324,800 vs $482,600)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 33°F
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Rent averages $173/mo less ($1,614 vs $1,787)
Cons
Median income trails Naperville by $79,710/yr
Violent crime (575.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Higher unemployment (6.2% vs 4.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Naperville
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Naperville
Median Income
$79,710
$143,754 vs $64,044/yr
Naperville
Violent Crime
85% lower
83.7 vs 575.8 per 100k
Naperville
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
4.5% vs 6.2% unemployment
West Palm Beach
Median Home Value
$158k less
$324,800 vs $482,600
West Palm Beach
Summer Heat
4.5°F warmer
July avg high 90.0°F vs 85.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Naperville, IL | West Palm Beach, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $482,600⚠ High | $324,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,787⚠ High | $1,614⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $143,754 ✓ Higher | $64,044 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.2 min⚠ High | 23.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.5% ✓ Higher | 11.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 30 ✓ Safer | 132⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 ✓ Safer | 152⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 102⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.9% ✓ Higher | 37.5% |
| High School or Higher | 97.5% ✓ Higher | 86.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Naperville CUSD 203 | PALM BEACH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 90.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" ✓ Drier | 61.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,089 ✓ Larger | 117,588 |
| Median Age | 39.5 | 40.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.4% ✓ Higher | 49.8% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Naperville's cost of living index is 102.6 vs West Palm Beach's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Naperville is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Naperville leads 15 of 23 categories. Naperville wins 15 and West Palm Beach wins 8. 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 West Palm Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($482,600 vs $324,800 median home), income ($143,754 vs $64,044), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Naperville, IL and West Palm Beach, FL are about 1,132 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.