Your Guide to Moving San Diego to Naperville, IL
Moving from San Diego, California, to Naperville, Illinois, is a huge transition, as you are moving from the seacoast to deeper into the US state, covering over 2,000 miles. You have to be ready for a lot of changes.
Would it be a good transition or worse? Let’s dive deeper into it by considering the cost of living, weather changes, crime rates, and other parameters.
1. Naperville has varied seasons
If you are bored of San Diego’s Mediterranean climate, which experiences hot summers and milder winters, Naperville’s four seasons a year will be a breath of fresh air for you.
Naperville enjoys all four seasons in the extreme. The temperatures in summer (July) reach an average of 83 degrees F, whereas the temperatures in winter (January) reach an average of 15 degrees F. Moving to Naperville will also allow you to experience about 120 days of rain and a good amount of snow.
All in all, moving from San Diego to Naperville is a drastic change in terms of weather.
2. Naperville has a lower cost of living than San Diego
Moving to Naperville from San Diego will be easy on the pocket. San Diego’s cost of living is 38.4% higher than in Naperville. However, living in Naperville isn’t any less expensive. It’s among the most expensive cities to live in in the world and also ranked 2nd most expensive city in Illinois.
Consequently, the employers in Naperville also pay more to meet the living expenses, an average of $2,542 for one person and $5,322 for a family of four.
Regarding the cost of living, moving from San Diego to Naperville wouldn’t be too heavy on the pockets.
3. Naperville has increased commute times
As per the last census of the US, the population of Naperville is around 1.45 lakhs and is diminishing at a rate of 0.12% every year. However, the commute time in Naperville is still higher than the US average and stands at 33.5 minutes, as opposed to the 22.4 minutes of the US average.
This can be because about 74% of the residents commute to work by car, while only 10% commute through public transport.
The common public transportation in Naperville includes the Pace bus, Amtrak, and Metra. The good thing is that parking is never an issue in Naperville, as it has plenty of space parking lots and public parking lots.
4. Naperville has comparatively cheap housing rates
The median house values in Naperville are definitely on the higher side but not skyrocketing as in San Diego. Residents moving from San Diego will find owning a house in Naperville affordable.
In comparison, the median house value in Naperville is around $600k, whereas in San Diego, it is around $950k. In Naperville, per square foot costs around $238, which is more than triple the cost in San Diego at $738.
In short, you can live your dream of buying your own house in Naperville quite easily.
5. Naperville is one of the safest cities in the US.
Naperville is considered one of the few cities with very low crime rates, both in terms of violent and property crimes. In fact, as per the latest figures, Naperville is 83% safer than other cities in the US, with a crime rate of just 3.81 per 1000 residents, which is far below the US national average.
This means you are free to choose any neighborhood in Naperville to live in. It’s also one of the safest cities in Illinois. Illinois itself has an average of 26 crimes per square mile, while Naperville has 14 crimes per square mile.
6. Naperville has good schools
Shifting with a family to Naperville means you also have to consider the quality of education here. Naperville has around 129 total schools, as per gretaschools.org, which includes public schools, preschools, elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and private schools.
The top public high school is Naperville Central High School, ranked 26th in Illinois and with a national ranking of 639. Other popular schools include Naperville North High School and Nequa Valley High School.
The popular elementary schools in Naperville are:
- Highlands Elementary School
- River Wood Elementary School
- Meadow Glens Elementary School
There are few colleges in Naperville for higher education, but North Central College is the most popular one. You may have to travel a bit for better options. You can enroll in the College of Dupage or Aurora University for more course choices.
7. Naperville and job opportunities
Naperville has more employed people than San Diego. As per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Naperville’s employed labor force stands at 3634, whereas in San Diego, the figure is 1535.8. The unemployment rate in both cities is nearly the same, around 4.4%.
In Naperville, you can find jobs primarily in healthcare, manufacturing, and tech companies. The largest employer in Naperville is Edward Hospital. Other popular employers include Nalco Holding Company, Tellabs, Nicor Gas, KeHe, and Eby Brown.
8. Naperville offers enough to explore
Though Naperville is considered a family-friendly suburb, you won’t find many diverse options for places to see. Naperville is known for its rich history, which can be explored through the by-lanes of Naperville. If you are a history lover, you will enjoy visiting the following places in Naperville:
- Riverwalk
- Naper Settlement
- Moser Tower and Millennium Carillon
Other popular must-visit places include:
- DuPage Children’s Museum
- Centennial beach
If you don’t mind driving a bit for a weekend gateway, you may find more options, like exploring the various beaches nearby:
- Ohio State beach
- Kenilworth beach
- Three Oaks Recreation Area
- Forest Park beach
- Rosewood Beach and others.
9. Naperville has a flat income tax rate
Unlike California, which has a varied income tax rate ranging from 1% to 12.3%, Illinois has a flat income tax rate of 4.95%. The sales tax rate varies in Illinois, ranging from 6.35% to 11%, while California has a sales tax rate ranging from 7.25% to 10.75%.
This makes Naperville a city with a stricter tax regime than San Diego.
10. Naperville has diverse food options
Naperville is popular for both local and international cuisines. It’s easier to find Indian, Chinese, continental, BBQ, desserts, and whatnot.
Some of the popular food outlets include:
- Fire It Up (for tacos)
- Burrito Parrilla (for Mexican food)
- Sharko’s BBQ (for barbeque)
- Dalicious Indian Restaurant (for Indian food)
- Meson Sabika (for Spanish food)
- The White Chocolate Grill (a contemporary American restaurant)
Plan Your Move Now!
Moving to Naperville would be the best decision ever. Naperville is one of the safest cities with an average cost of living, affordable housing costs, good schools, nice neighborhoods, and more, which makes it a family-friendly city to move to.
Those moving from San Diego will especially find Naperville more accommodating regarding expenditures and living costs. It’s also one of the best places in Illinois to relocate. A few of the best neighborhoods in Naperville are Ashbury, Acron Hill Estates, Downtown Naperville, and East Highlands.
That said, to ensure a seamless transition, it is highly recommended to let the professionals execute the move for you. Oakley Relocation offers comprehensive moving services in San Diego – be it a residential, corporate, international, or military move. Contact us today for a smooth and stress-free moving experience!
