Aurora vs Chicago
Aurora, Illinois versus Chicago, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Aurora edges out Chicago on overall objective livability (45 vs 36 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Aurora | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $86k | $72k |
| Cost of Living | $61k | $55k |
| Home Value | $242k | $305k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.50% | 1.55% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.96% | 14.51% |
| Unemployment | 5.6% | 8.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 23°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5 in | 34.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.9 in | 38.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 245 days | 245 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 94 days | 84 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 33.5 | 72.2 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 68.1 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 127/100k | 3190/100k |
| Property Crime | 87/100k | 3133/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 181,405 | 2,721,914 |
| Median Age | 35.4 | 35.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.70 | 0.71 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+51 |
| White (%) | 33.3% | 32.7% |
| Black (%) | 10.3% | 28.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 42.3% | 29.0% |
| Asian (%) | 10.7% | 6.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.4% | 3.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 34 min |
| Walkability | 9.7/20 | 13.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 26 mi | 3 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.4% | 85.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 19.35 | 3.37 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Aurora or Chicago more affordable?
- Chicago has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Aurora's $61k and Chicago's $55k. Median rent is $1k in Aurora versus $1k in Chicago.
- Is Aurora or Chicago safer?
- Aurora has the lower violent crime rate. Aurora reports 127/100k and Chicago reports 3190/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Aurora or Chicago?
- The median home value is $242k in Aurora and $305k in Chicago, so homes are more affordable in Aurora.