Aurora vs Bridgeport
The short version
- Aurora is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 3% lower than in the Bridgeport area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $274,800 in Aurora and $274,900 in Bridgeport.
- Households earn more in Aurora ($93,633 vs $58,685 median).
- Bridgeport has the warmer winter: January highs of 38°F vs 31°F.
- Bridgeport is growing faster: +2.5% since 2020 vs +0.5%.
- Commutes are shorter in Aurora (27 vs 31 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Aurora, IL | Bridgeport, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 181,505 | 152,273 |
| Growth since 2020 | +0.5% | +2.5% |
| People per square mile | 4,028 | 9,479 |
| Median age | 35.2 | 36.7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39% | 23% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $93,633 | $58,685 |
| Median home value | $274,800 | $274,900 |
| Home value to income | 2.9× | 4.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,596 | $1,450 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 103.6 | 106.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 112.0 | 150.5 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $77,700 | $80,100 |
| Homeowners | 66% | 43% |
| Top state income tax | 4.95% | 6.99% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.98% | 6.35% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 27.2 | 30.5 |
| Work from home | 16% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 3% | 7% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.8% | 9% |
| Poverty rate | 9.5% | 21% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 31° / 16° | 38° / 24° |
| July high / low | 84° / 65° | 83° / 68° |
| Precipitation per year | 40 in | 44 in |
| Snowfall per year | 28 in | 34 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 16 | 9 |
| Nights below freezing | 134 | 92 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | n/a |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 94.6 | n/a |
| Good air days, 2025 | 30% | 65% |
| Home prices, past year | +6% | +5.1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +53% | +53.3% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Aurora: July to October. Bridgeport: May to October.
Full monthly tables: Aurora weather by month and Bridgeport weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $77,700 in Aurora and $80,100 in Bridgeport. Moving from Aurora to Bridgeport, you would need about $77,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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