Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria: Housing Market Comparison (2026)
Side-by-side Alpha Scores, affordability, momentum, supply, jobs, and rental yield · as of May 2026
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria side by side
| Metric | ● Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | ● Washington-Arlington-Alexandria |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha Score | 34 | 25 |
| Price Momentum | 50 | 50 |
| Inventory Health | 1 | 1 |
| Affordability | 36 | 15 |
| Economic Strength | 44 | 39 |
| Rental Yield | 52 | 26 |
| Median Sale Price | — | — |
| Price-to-Income | 3.4 | 4.5 |
| Payment-to-Income | 20.9% | 27.4% |
| Months of Supply | — | — |
| Gross Rental Yield | 5.5% | 4.3% |
| Overvaluation Index | 0 | 20 |
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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare, dimension by dimension
- Affordability: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 36/100 vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria 15/100.
- Price Momentum: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria score the same (50/100).
- Inventory Health: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria score the same (1/100).
- Economic Strength: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 44/100 vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria 39/100.
- Rental Yield: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin leads — Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 52/100 vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria 26/100.
Frequently asked questions
Which has a higher Alpha Score, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin or Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin scores higher — 34 vs 25 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria more affordable?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin is more affordable on our affordability dimension. Price-to-income is 3.4 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin and 4.5 in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria.
Which housing market has stronger momentum, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin or Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria brief.