Iowa City vs Naperville
The short version
- Iowa City is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 12% lower than in the Naperville area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $285,900 in Iowa City and $540,200 in Naperville.
- Households earn more in Naperville ($155,105 vs $58,546 median).
- Commutes are shorter in Iowa City (17 vs 31 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Iowa City, IA | Naperville, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 76,229 | 153,114 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.9% | +2.4% |
| People per square mile | 2,959 | 3,891 |
| Median age | 26.2 | 40.4 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61% | 73% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $58,546 | $155,105 |
| Median home value | $285,900 | $540,200 |
| Home value to income | 4.9× | 3.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,094 | $1,885 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 91.5 | 103.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 84.0 | 112.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $68,600 | $77,700 |
| Homeowners | 47% | 75% |
| Top state income tax | 3.8% | 4.95% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.94% | 8.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 17.3 | 30.5 |
| Work from home | 12% | 31% |
| Take public transit | 6% | 5% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.6% | 4.5% |
| Poverty rate | 26.3% | 4.4% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 31° / 15° | 33° / 17° |
| July high / low | 86° / 66° | 86° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 36 in | 40 in |
| Snowfall per year | 28 in | 24 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 19 | 29 |
| Nights below freezing | 135 | 128 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 87.4 | 97.6 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 70% | 30% |
| Home prices, past year | +3% | +6.2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +33.9% | +45.5% |
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: Iowa City: May and July to October. Naperville: May and July to October.
Full monthly tables: Iowa City weather by month and Naperville weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $68,600 in Iowa City and $77,700 in Naperville. Moving from Iowa City to Naperville, you would need about $84,900 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Iowa City and Naperville
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Iowa City and Naperville.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.