Skip to Main Content
jelonekphotography / CC BY
City0

Naperville

#1 in Best Cities to Raise a Family in America
  • A+
    Overall Grade
  • City in Illinois
  • 539 reviews
    A+
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?
    1. Public Schools
      A+
    2. Crime & Safety
      B-
    3. Housing
      A-
    4. Nightlife
      B+
    5. Good for Families
      A+
    6. Diversity
      A-
    7. Jobs
      A-
    8. Weather
      C+
    9. Cost of Living
      C+
    10. Health & Fitness
      A+
    11. Outdoor Activities
      A
    12. Commute
      B
    View Full Report Card
    Naperville is a city in Illinois with a population of 146,431. Naperville is in DuPage County and is one of the best places to live in Illinois. Living in Naperville offers residents a suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Naperville there are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many families and young professionals live in Naperville and residents tend to have moderate political views. The public schools in Naperville are highly rated.
    About Naperville...
    Population
    146,431

    Real Estate

    Median Home Value
    $398,500
    National
    $184,700
    Median Rent
    $1,415
    National
    $949
    Area Feel
    Suburban
    Rent vs. Own
    • Rent
      25%
    • Own
      75%
    Sponsored Mortgage Options for Naperville
    Get Rates
    • $0 Lender Fee on Home Loans Limited Time Only
    • Biggest Home Loan Sale Ever. Low interest rates. Get a quote today!
    Niche may be compensated by the third party lenders and others who place ads on the website. Niche is not a lender and does not endorse the products of these advertisers. Fees that Niche receives for ads do not affect the terms you may be offered by the lender you choose. There are many additional borrowing options available.

    Naperville Rankings

    Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

    Naperville Neighborhood Map

    • Public Schools
    • Private Schools
    • Colleges

    Crime & Safety

    Crime & Safety
    B-
    Based on violent and property crime rates.
    Violent Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Assault
      54.1
      282.7
    • Murder
      0.7
      6.1
    • Rape
      14.9
      40.7
    • Robbery
      22.3
      135.5
    Property Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Burglary
      87.2
      500.1
    • Theft
      1,041
      2,042.8
    • Motor Vehicle Theft
      31.8
      284

    Residents

    Diversity
    A-
    Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
    Age
    • <10 years
      13%
    • 10-17 years
      13%
    • 18-24 years
      9%
    • 25-34 years
      11%
    • 35-44 years
      14%
    • 45-54 years
      16%
    • 55-64 years
      13%
    • 65+ years
      12%
    Education Levels
    National
    • Master's degree or higher
      30%
      12%
    • Bachelor's degree
      37%
      19%
    • Some college or associate's degree
      19%
      29%
    • High school diploma or equivalent
      11%
      28%
    • Less than high school diploma
      3%
      13%

    Working in Naperville

    Jobs
    A-
    Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
    Median Household Income
    $114,014
    National
    $55,322
    Search for Jobs in Naperville
    Places like Naperville
    • B
      Elgin
      • City in Illinois
      • 291 reviews
    • A+
      Madison
      • City in Wisconsin
      • 605 reviews
    • A+
      Ann Arbor
      • City in Michigan
      • 423 reviews
    • B-
      Rockford
      • City in Illinois
      • 332 reviews
    More

    Naperville Reviews

    539 reviews
    All Categories
    Downtown area a great place to shop and eat. Parking is available very nice, Family friendly, Great place to take kids for kids. Children have plenty of sporting events. Baseball, Football, Soccer Mecca. People somewhat not friendly often downright Rude! Private College on beautiful campus downtown Great homes, Excellent Schools, Great doctors, not much diversity, Tons of places for fitness. Plenty of Yoga studios and health and wellness work out facilities.
    Start Your Review of Naperville
    Rate It!
    As someone who was born and raised here, this is a great town to live in if you are white, affluent, and want to live in a “bubble.” There were so many racist micro-aggressions growing up towards those who weren’t white and there is lots of white guilt. Being white, I did not personally experience these but have had many friends I went to high school with bring it up to me. I would never raise my kids here because the public schools breed an unrealistic social hierarchy which does nothing but diminish mental health for those at the bottom and inflate egos for the kids at the top. Sure, they’re great schools, but odds are your kid will follow the crowd and go to U of I or surrounding state schools to party. It’s a town for hot moms that went to a mediocre university who went on to marry rich schmucks. But hey, at least the River Walk is nice!
    Naperville is the town of my childhood, and it's one of the best places to raise your kids. The public schools have lots of opportunities for students of all backgrounds, the park district provides countless activities for children to enjoy, and the neighborhoods as a whole are very safe and friendly. This town has a sprawling downtown with restaurants, libraries, and stores for all ages, and a river walk that is simply the best during the summer. I recommend living in Naperville as it is the best city in America!