Side-by-side comparison of Chicago, IL and Naperville, IL — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Chicago has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 3.03% compared to Naperville's 2.29%. 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 $440,000 in Naperville, while rents come in at $1,620/mo and $1,950/mo respectively.
Growth & appreciation: Naperville is growing faster at 0.5% annually vs Chicago's 0.1%. Naperville leads on home value appreciation at 2.5% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 2.08% in Chicago vs 2% in Naperville. Vacancy rates of 5.8% and 4.2% are both healthy, suggesting strong tenant demand in both markets.
Bottom line: Naperville edges out Chicago on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 2.29%, Naperville's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Chicago or Naperville.