Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Naperville?

Concord, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 22% below Naperville, IL's $1,800, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Naperville?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $64,000 in Naperville.

Which has lower taxes, Concord or Naperville?

Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Naperville under Illinois's (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Concord vs Naperville Cost of Living 2026

Concord

New Hampshire

$1,410/mo est.

Naperville

Illinois

$1,800/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,410 in Concord, NH versus $1,800 in Naperville, IL. Overall, Concord, NH is roughly 22% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Naperville, IL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,701 in Concord, NH and $150,937 in Naperville, IL — about 45% higher in Naperville, IL. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Illinois has a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Concord, NH

Naperville, IL

Rent

Studio

$876

$1,713

+96% in Naperville, IL

1 Bedroom

$1,134

$1,594

+41% in Naperville, IL

2 Bedroom

$1,475

$1,889

+28% in Naperville, IL

3 Bedroom

$1,769

$2,446

+38% in Naperville, IL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$323,700

$509,900

+58% in Naperville, IL

Income

Median Household Income

$83,701

$150,937

+80% in Naperville, IL

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$54,720

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

40.7 yr

40.1 yr

+0.6 yr in Concord, NH

Homeownership

57.4%

74.3%

+16.9 pp in Naperville, IL

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.1%

71.7%

+31.6 pp in Naperville, IL

Avg Commute

23.2 min

31.4 min

+8.2 min in Naperville, IL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

180.7

85.7

+53% in Concord, NH

Property Crime

1,251.5

892.2

+29% in Concord, NH

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

46.4°F

49.9°F

+3.5°F in Naperville, IL

Annual Precipitation

40.6 in

36.9 in

+3.7 in in Concord, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.85/gal

+2% in Concord, NH

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.0

19.9

+26% in Concord, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$19.71

+9% in Concord, NH

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.66

+14% in Concord, NH

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Naperville, IL

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.77

+2% in Concord, NH

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.10

+4% in Concord, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Concord, NH

Average prices — Northeast vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / IL)

None

6.25%

+6.3 pp in IL

Income Tax (top rate)

None

4.95%

+5.0 pp in IL

Concord vs Naperville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Naperville?: Concord, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 22% below Naperville, IL's $1,800, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Naperville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $64,000 in Naperville.
Which has lower taxes, Concord or Naperville?: Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Naperville under Illinois's (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).