Joliet vs New Haven
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $265,800 in Joliet and $287,100 in New Haven.
- Households earn more in Joliet ($92,201 vs $56,851 median).
- New Haven has the warmer winter: January highs of 38°F vs 31°F.
- New Haven gets far more snow: 34 inches a year vs 17.
- New Haven is growing faster: +3.6% since 2020 vs +1.2%.
- Commutes are shorter in New Haven (22 vs 29 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Joliet, IL | New Haven, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 152,241 | 138,774 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.2% | +3.6% |
| People per square mile | 2,297 | 7,425 |
| Median age | 35.8 | 31.9 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26% | 39% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $92,201 | $56,851 |
| Median home value | $265,800 | $287,100 |
| Home value to income | 2.9× | 5.1× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,276 | $1,488 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 103.6 | 104.6 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 112.0 | 124.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $77,700 | $78,400 |
| Homeowners | 74% | 28% |
| 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% | 14% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 7% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.5% | 8.4% |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 23.9% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 31° / 17° | 38° / 23° |
| July high / low | 84° / 64° | 82° / 66° |
| Precipitation per year | 38 in | 42 in |
| Snowfall per year | 17 in | 34 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 15 | 6 |
| Nights below freezing | 126 | 102 |
| 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% | +6% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +45.5% | +54.9% |
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 Haven: May to October.
Full monthly tables: Joliet weather by month and New Haven 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 $78,400 in New Haven. Moving from Joliet to New Haven, you would need about $75,700 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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