Naperville vs Stamford
The short version
- Naperville is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 3% lower than in the Stamford area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $540,200 in Naperville and $624,400 in Stamford.
- Households earn more in Naperville ($155,105 vs $111,586 median).
- Stamford has the warmer winter: January highs of 38°F vs 33°F.
- Stamford gets far more snow: 34 inches a year vs 24.
Side by side
| Naperville, IL | Stamford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 153,114 | 139,535 |
| Growth since 2020 | +2.4% | +3% |
| People per square mile | 3,891 | 3,708 |
| Median age | 40.4 | 38.4 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 73% | 52% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $155,105 | $111,586 |
| Median home value | $540,200 | $624,400 |
| Home value to income | 3.5× | 5.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,885 | $2,276 |
| 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 | 75% | 49% |
| Top state income tax | 4.95% | 6.99% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.98% | 6.35% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 30.5 | 28.5 |
| Work from home | 31% | 19% |
| Take public transit | 5% | 10% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.5% | 4.9% |
| Poverty rate | 4.4% | 10.1% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 33° / 17° | 38° / 22° |
| July high / low | 86° / 63° | 85° / 64° |
| Precipitation per year | 40 in | 52 in |
| Snowfall per year | 24 in | 34 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 29 | 18 |
| Nights below freezing | 128 | 119 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | n/a |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 97.6 | n/a |
| Good air days, 2025 | 30% | 65% |
| Home prices, past year | +6.2% | +5.1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +45.5% | +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: Naperville: May and July to October. Stamford: May and July to August.
Full monthly tables: Naperville weather by month and Stamford 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 Naperville and $80,100 in Stamford. Moving from Naperville to Stamford, you would need about $77,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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