Residential comparison · 13 facts
Normal, IL vs Wheaton, IL
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Normal needs about $98,500 in Wheaton to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Wheaton, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $71,500 in Normal.
A few differences
- Wheaton is higher on median household income ($120,008 vs $64,785).
- Normal is lower on cost of living index (85 vs 109).
- Normal is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($987/mo vs $1,757/mo).
Normal vs Wheaton · facet by facet
| Facet | Normal, IL | Wheaton, IL |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $213,600 | $455,700 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $987/mo | $1,757/mo |
| Property tax rate | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| State & local income tax | 4.95% | 4.95% |
| Sales tax | 8.85% | 8.85% |
| Cost of living index | 85 | 109 |
| Groceries index | 98 | 98 |
| Utilities | $165/mo | $165/mo |
| Median household income | $64,785 | $120,008 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.7% |
| Crime index | 50/100 | 50/100 |
| School rating | 6.3/10 | 6.3/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 190 days | 190 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Normal, IL · Wheaton, IL
Questions & answers
- Is Normal cheaper than Wheaton?
- Normal has the lower day-to-day cost index (85 vs 109 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Wheaton equals $85,000 in Normal?
- A household earning $85,000 in Normal needs about $98,500 in Wheaton to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Wheaton lifestyle costs about $71,500 in Normal.