Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs Denver-Aurora-Lakewood: Housing Market Comparison (2026)
Side-by-side Alpha Scores, affordability, momentum, supply, jobs, and rental yield · as of May 2026
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs Denver-Aurora-Lakewood side by side
| Metric | ● Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | ● Denver-Aurora-Lakewood |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha Score | 34 | 28 |
| Price Momentum | 50 | 50 |
| Inventory Health | 1 | 2 |
| Affordability | 36 | 8 |
| Economic Strength | 44 | 48 |
| Rental Yield | 52 | 39 |
| Median Sale Price | — | — |
| Price-to-Income | 3.4 | 5.6 |
| Payment-to-Income | 20.9% | 34.2% |
| Months of Supply | — | — |
| Gross Rental Yield | 5.5% | 3.8% |
| Overvaluation Index | 0 | 40 |
Highlighted = the stronger read for that metric (supply, valuation, and payment burden are better when lower). Income/rent inputs lag annually.
How Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and Denver-Aurora-Lakewood compare, dimension by dimension
- Affordability: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 36/100 vs Denver-Aurora-Lakewood 8/100.
- Price Momentum: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and Denver-Aurora-Lakewood score the same (50/100).
- Inventory Health: Denver-Aurora-Lakewood leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 1/100 vs Denver-Aurora-Lakewood 2/100.
- Economic Strength: Denver-Aurora-Lakewood leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 44/100 vs Denver-Aurora-Lakewood 48/100.
- Rental Yield: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 52/100 vs Denver-Aurora-Lakewood 39/100.
Frequently asked questions
Which has a higher Alpha Score, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin or Denver-Aurora-Lakewood?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin scores higher — 34 vs 28 out of 100. The Alpha Score is a 0-100 composite of price momentum, inventory health, affordability, economic strength, and rental yield.
Is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin or Denver-Aurora-Lakewood more affordable?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin is more affordable on our affordability dimension. Price-to-income is 3.4 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and 5.6 in Denver-Aurora-Lakewood.
Which housing market has stronger momentum, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin or Denver-Aurora-Lakewood?
Both markets show similar price momentum (about 50/100).
Want to swap in other cities, change the metrics, or chart the trend over time? Customize this comparison → in the interactive Compare tool. Or read the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin market brief and the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood brief.