Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley: Housing Market Comparison (2026)
Side-by-side Alpha Scores, affordability, momentum, supply, jobs, and rental yield · as of May 2026
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley side by side
| Metric | ● Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | ● San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha Score | 34 | 26 |
| Price Momentum | 50 | 50 |
| Inventory Health | 1 | 3 |
| Affordability | 36 | 1 |
| Economic Strength | 44 | 61 |
| Rental Yield | 52 | 19 |
| Median Sale Price | — | — |
| Price-to-Income | 3.4 | 8.3 |
| Payment-to-Income | 20.9% | 51.1% |
| Months of Supply | — | — |
| Gross Rental Yield | 5.5% | 2.6% |
| 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley compare, dimension by dimension
- Affordability: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 36/100 vs San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley 1/100.
- Price Momentum: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley score the same (50/100).
- Inventory Health: San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 1/100 vs San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley 3/100.
- Economic Strength: San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 44/100 vs San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley 61/100.
- Rental Yield: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 52/100 vs San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley 19/100.
Frequently asked questions
Which has a higher Alpha Score, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin or San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin scores higher — 34 vs 26 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley more affordable?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin is more affordable on our affordability dimension. Price-to-income is 3.4 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and 8.3 in San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley.
Which housing market has stronger momentum, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin or San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley?
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 San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley brief.