Joliet vs New Britain
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $223,600 in New Britain and $265,800 in Joliet.
- Households earn more in Joliet ($92,201 vs $58,613 median).
- New Britain has the warmer winter: January highs of 37°F vs 31°F.
- New Britain gets far more snow: 39 inches a year vs 17.
- Commutes are shorter in New Britain (22 vs 29 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Joliet, IL | New Britain, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 152,241 | 76,286 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.2% | +2.9% |
| People per square mile | 2,297 | 5,695 |
| Median age | 35.8 | 34.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26% | 20% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $92,201 | $58,613 |
| Median home value | $265,800 | $223,600 |
| Home value to income | 2.9× | 3.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,276 | $1,253 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 103.6 | 102.7 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 112.0 | 110.2 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $77,700 | $77,100 |
| Homeowners | 74% | 45% |
| Top state income tax | 4.95% | 6.99% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.98% | 6.35% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 28.8 | 21.5 |
| Work from home | 9% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 4% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 18.1% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 31° / 17° | 37° / 20° |
| July high / low | 84° / 64° | 85° / 66° |
| Precipitation per year | 38 in | 43 in |
| Snowfall per year | 17 in | 39 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 15 | 17 |
| Nights below freezing | 126 | 121 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | n/a |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 97.3 | n/a |
| Good air days, 2025 | 30% | 67% |
| Home prices, past year | +6.2% | +5.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +45.5% | +57.7% |
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: Joliet: June and August to October. New Britain: May to October.
Full monthly tables: Joliet weather by month and New Britain 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 Joliet and $77,100 in New Britain. Moving from Joliet to New Britain, you would need about $74,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.