Living Cost Compare
Naperville

Illinois

$1,800/mo est.

vs
New Haven

Connecticut

$1,530/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,800 in Naperville, IL versus $1,530 in New Haven, CT. Overall, New Haven, CT is roughly 15% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Naperville, IL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $150,937 in Naperville, IL and $53,771 in New Haven, CT — about 64% higher in Naperville, IL. Illinois has a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax; Connecticut has a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax.

Naperville, IL
New Haven, CT

Rent

Studio
$1,713
$1,159
+32% in Naperville, IL
1 Bedroom
$1,594
$1,275
+20% in Naperville, IL
2 Bedroom
$1,889
$1,473
+22% in Naperville, IL
3 Bedroom
$2,446
$1,636
+33% in Naperville, IL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$509,900
$249,000
+51% in Naperville, IL

Income

Median Household Income
$150,937
$53,771
+64% in Naperville, IL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$54,720
$60,060
+10% in New Haven, CT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
40.1 yr
31.9 yr
+8.2 yr in Naperville, IL
Homeownership
74.3%
28.4%
+45.9 pp in Naperville, IL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
71.7%
37.7%
+34.0 pp in Naperville, IL
Avg Commute
31.4 min
21.0 min
+10.4 min in Naperville, IL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
85.7
536.3
+526% in New Haven, CT
Property Crime
892.2
3,601.6
+304% in New Haven, CT

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
49.9°F
52.2°F
+2.3°F in New Haven, CT
Annual Precipitation
36.9 in
47.1 in
+10.2 in in New Haven, CT

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$3.94/gal
+2% in New Haven, CT

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
19.9
24.3
+22% in New Haven, CT
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$19.71
$23.33
+18% in New Haven, CT

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.31
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.92
+16% in New Haven, CT
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.19
+40% in Naperville, IL
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.90
+2% in New Haven, CT
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.19
+4% in New Haven, CT
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.69
+12% in New Haven, CT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IL / CT)
6.25%
6.35%
+0.1 pp in CT
Income Tax (top rate)
4.95%
6.99%
+2.0 pp in CT

Naperville vs New Haven — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Naperville or New Haven?
New Haven, CT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Naperville, IL's $1,800, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Naperville than in New Haven?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $64,000 a year in Naperville versus $51,000 in New Haven.
Which has lower taxes, Naperville or New Haven?
Naperville is taxed under Illinois's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax); New Haven under Connecticut's (a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% 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).