Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs New York-Newark-Jersey City: Housing Market Comparison (2026)
Side-by-side Alpha Scores, affordability, momentum, supply, jobs, and rental yield · as of July 2026
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs New York-Newark-Jersey City side by side
| Metric | ● Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | ● New York-Newark-Jersey City |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha Score | 29 | 22 |
| Price Momentum | 50 | 50 |
| Inventory Health | 1 | 0 |
| Affordability | 36 | 5 |
| Economic Strength | 26 | 50 |
| Rental Yield | 44 | 7 |
| Median Sale Price | — | — |
| Price-to-Income | 3.5 | 6.2 |
| Payment-to-Income | 22.4% | 39.0% |
| Months of Supply | — | — |
| Gross Rental Yield | 5.3% | 3.6% |
| Overvaluation Index | 10 | 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City compare, dimension by dimension
- Affordability: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 36/100 vs New York-Newark-Jersey City 5/100.
- Price Momentum: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and New York-Newark-Jersey City score the same (50/100).
- Inventory Health: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 1/100 vs New York-Newark-Jersey City 0/100.
- Economic Strength: New York-Newark-Jersey City leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 26/100 vs New York-Newark-Jersey City 50/100.
- Rental Yield: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 44/100 vs New York-Newark-Jersey City 7/100.
Frequently asked questions
Which has a higher Alpha Score, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin or New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin scores higher — 29 vs 22 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City more affordable?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin is more affordable on our affordability dimension. Price-to-income is 3.5 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and 6.2 in New York-Newark-Jersey City.
Which housing market has stronger momentum, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin or New York-Newark-Jersey City?
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 New York-Newark-Jersey City brief.