Living Cost Compare
Naperville

Illinois

$1,800/mo est.

vs
Paterson

New Jersey

$1,430/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 $1,430 in Paterson, NJ. Overall, Paterson, NJ is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Naperville, IL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $150,937 in Naperville, IL and $53,766 in Paterson, NJ — about 64% higher in Naperville, IL. Illinois has a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax; New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax.

Naperville, IL
Paterson, NJ

Rent

Studio
$1,713
$786
+54% in Naperville, IL
1 Bedroom
$1,594
$1,183
+26% in Naperville, IL
2 Bedroom
$1,889
$1,468
+22% in Naperville, IL
3 Bedroom
$2,446
$1,729
+29% in Naperville, IL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$509,900
$335,400
+34% in Naperville, IL

Income

Median Household Income
$150,937
$53,766
+64% in Naperville, IL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$54,720
$61,430
+12% in Paterson, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
40.1 yr
33.3 yr
+6.8 yr in Naperville, IL
Homeownership
74.3%
26.2%
+48.1 pp in Naperville, IL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
71.7%
12.5%
+59.2 pp in Naperville, IL
Avg Commute
31.4 min
23.1 min
+8.3 min in Naperville, IL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
85.7
1,010.1
+1079% in Paterson, NJ
Property Crime
892.2
2,391.4
+168% in Paterson, NJ

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 Paterson, NJ
Annual Precipitation
36.9 in
49.0 in
+12.1 in in Paterson, NJ

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$3.94/gal
+2% in Paterson, NJ

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
19.9
24.9
+25% in Paterson, NJ
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$19.71
$17.68
+10% in Naperville, IL

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 Paterson, NJ
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.19
+40% in Naperville, IL
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.90
+2% in Paterson, NJ
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.19
+4% in Paterson, NJ
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.69
+12% in Paterson, NJ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IL / NJ)
6.25%
6.625%
+0.4 pp in NJ
Income Tax (top rate)
4.95%
10.75%
+5.8 pp in NJ

Naperville vs Paterson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Naperville or Paterson?
Paterson, NJ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Naperville, IL's $1,800, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Naperville than in Paterson?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $64,000 a year in Naperville versus $47,000 in Paterson.
Which has lower taxes, Naperville or Paterson?
Naperville is taxed under Illinois's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax); Paterson under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% 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).