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Chicago vs Aurora for Rental Property Investing

Side-by-side comparison of Chicago, IL and Aurora, IL — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.

Chicago wins 4–3 across key metrics
Chicago leads on cash flow (3.03% vs 3.01% cap rate) · Aurora leads on population growth
Metric
Chicago, IL
Aurora, IL
Est. Cap Rate
3.03%
3.01%
Median Home Price
$310,000
$275,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,620
$1,420
1% Rule
0.52%
0.52%
GRM
15.9x
16.1x
Price / Income
5.0x
4.3x
Property Tax Rate
2.08%
2.05%
Vacancy Rate
5.8%
5.5%
Population Growth
0.1% / yr
0.3% / yr
Annual Appreciation
2.4%
2.3%
Population
2,665,039
180,542
Median Income
$62,400
$64,200

Chicago vs Aurora: Which Is Better for Investors?

Cash flow: Chicago has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 3.03% compared to Aurora's 3.01%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $310,000 in Chicago vs $275,000 in Aurora, while rents come in at $1,620/mo and $1,420/mo respectively.

Growth & appreciation: Aurora is growing faster at 0.3% annually vs Chicago's 0.1%. Chicago leads on home value appreciation at 2.4% per year.

Costs & risk: Property taxes are 2.08% in Chicago vs 2.05% in Aurora. Vacancy rates of 5.8% and 5.5% are both healthy, suggesting strong tenant demand in both markets.

Bottom line: Chicago edges out Aurora on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 3.03%, Chicago's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Chicago or Aurora.

Chicago, IL
3.03% cap rate · $310,000 median · $1,620/mo
Full analysis →
Aurora, IL
3.01% cap rate · $275,000 median · $1,420/mo
Full analysis →
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