Is it cheaper to live in Naperville or Worcester?

Worcester, MA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,340 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 26% below Naperville, IL's $1,800, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $64,000 a year in Naperville versus $41,000 in Worcester.

Which has lower taxes, Naperville or Worcester?

Naperville is taxed under Illinois's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Naperville vs Worcester Cost of Living 2026

Naperville

Illinois

$1,800/mo est.

Worcester

Massachusetts

$1,340/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 $1,340 in Worcester, MA. Overall, Worcester, MA is roughly 26% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Naperville, IL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $150,937 in Naperville, IL and $67,544 in Worcester, MA — about 55% higher in Naperville, IL. Illinois has a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax; Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Naperville, IL

Worcester, MA

Rent

Studio

$1,713

$1,087

+37% in Naperville, IL

1 Bedroom

$1,594

$1,028

+36% in Naperville, IL

2 Bedroom

$1,889

$1,476

+22% in Naperville, IL

3 Bedroom

$2,446

$1,675

+32% in Naperville, IL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$509,900

$339,500

+33% in Naperville, IL

Income

Median Household Income

$150,937

$67,544

+55% in Naperville, IL

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$54,720

$57,830

+6% in Worcester, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

40.1 yr

34.1 yr

+6.0 yr in Naperville, IL

Homeownership

74.3%

42.4%

+31.9 pp in Naperville, IL

Bachelor's+ (25+)

71.7%

34.1%

+37.6 pp in Naperville, IL

Avg Commute

31.4 min

25.1 min

+6.3 min in Naperville, IL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

85.7

640.2

+647% in Worcester, MA

Property Crime

892.2

1,580.3

+77% in Worcester, MA

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

47.9°F

+2.0°F in Naperville, IL

Annual Precipitation

36.9 in

48.1 in

+11.2 in in Worcester, MA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$4.07/gal

+6% in Worcester, MA

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Massachusetts.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

19.9

29.6

+49% in Worcester, MA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$19.71

$30.66

+56% in Worcester, MA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$1.92

+16% in Worcester, MA

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Naperville, IL

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$6.90

+2% in Worcester, MA

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.19

+4% in Worcester, MA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Worcester, MA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IL / MA)

6.25%

about equal

Income Tax (top rate)

4.95%

9.00%

+4.0 pp in MA

Naperville vs Worcester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Naperville or Worcester?: Worcester, MA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,340 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 26% below Naperville, IL's $1,800, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Naperville than in Worcester?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $64,000 a year in Naperville versus $41,000 in Worcester.
Which has lower taxes, Naperville or Worcester?: Naperville is taxed under Illinois's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% 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).