Naperville, IL Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Naperville, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Naperville →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
With a population near 149,089, Naperville, Illinois sits above the multi-city income median: households earn a typical $143,754 per year (+99% vs. that benchmark).
Home values in Naperville run a median $482,600, above the benchmark across cities in our dataset (+48%). Renters see a median monthly cost of $1,787. Mortgage rates and property taxes are worth checking before you commit either way.
With home values running about 3.4× median income, Naperville lands on the affordable side of the housing-cost spectrum. Prices in the area have surged 6.24% year over year, a hot pace that's pushed up competition for buyers near Naperville. FEMA classifies Naperville's hazard risk as Relatively High. That elevated rating is a major driver of home insurance premiums in the area.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,787/mo in Naperville would take 14.9% of your income.
$1,807/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($482,600) would take 21.5% of your income toward principal & interest.
$778/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Naperville
Median home value is $482,600 and median gross rent is $1,787/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for DuPage rose 6.24% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,781/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Naperville's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Naperville reported a violent crime rate of 70.1 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Naperville
Planning a move to Naperville? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Naperville, IL?
- Naperville's key cost-of-living figures: $482,600 median home value, $1,787 median monthly rent, and $143,754 median household income, per the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Naperville?
- Naperville's median rent of $1,787/month works out to roughly $71,480 in annual income needed, if you're budgeting the standard 30% of gross pay toward rent. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Naperville.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Naperville?
- Renting in Naperville at the median $1,787/month calls for about $71,480 a year under the standard 30% guideline; buying the median home at $482,600 takes roughly $110,416 a year in principal and interest (20% down, 30-year fixed, current rates). Timeline and down payment usually decide which makes more sense.
- Is Naperville safe?
- Naperville's violent crime rate, per FBI reporting for 2025, stands at 70.1 per 100,000 residents.
See the full salary breakdown for Naperville →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Naperville's.