Naperville vs. Wheaton
Riverwalk vs. Revival Tent: The DuPage Divide
Naperville and Wheaton are two DuPage County heavyweights that have been glaring at each other since Red Grange ran eight touchdowns against Naperville in 1920. Tonight one town defends its median home price and the other defends its salvation.
In this corner
Naperville
2
And in this corner
Wheaton
2
- Round 1SPORTS
Naperville
Naperville Central opened the 2026 football season by losing 27-7 to Wheaton Warrenville South, a team the Redhawks' own fans probably couldn't find on a map. Naperville North then lost to a Wheaton-Warrenville South soccer team ranked 177th in the state, which is a lot of rank to give up.
WheatonSurvives
Wheaton's all-time sports legend is Red Grange, who once scored eight touchdowns against Naperville, and the town has been coasting on that since 1920. The Tigers are 4-6-1 in soccer, but they beat Naperville North, so the record is covered by grace.
Wheaton beat Naperville Central 27-7 and then beat Naperville North in soccer. The Tigers win this one easily.
- Round 2PEOPLE
NapervilleSurvives
Naperville has a median household income north of $150K and a reputation, per one travel-forum commenter, for a 'better than thou attitude.' Everyone there owns the same quarter-zip and the same opinion about school districts.
Wheaton
Wheaton's most famous export is Billy Graham, and the town is known for its church density, plus a college whose students once pledged no drinking, smoking, or dancing. It is the only place where the fun uncle is a Presbyterian deacon who lets you have a second dessert.
Snobbery is easier to live down than a no-dancing pledge. Naperville gets a narrow win on pure social survivability.
- Round 3HISTORY
Naperville
Naperville's North Central College spent years losing a little brass bell to Wheaton College, and the bell once went missing and turned up in a Naperville attic. The town couldn't even keep a trophy it was losing.
WheatonSurvives
Wheaton College was founded by abolitionists in 1860 and was a stop on the Underground Railroad, which is a seriously proud heritage. Wheaton also hosts the Theosophical Society, so the local lore ranges from abolition to mysticism with a Bible study in between.
An attic bell can't compete with the Underground Railroad. Wheaton takes it with real history.
- Round 4VIBES
NapervilleSurvives
Naperville is the town that grew south until it ran out of cornfields, so it now has a Riverwalk, an enormous stock of new houses, and a housing market that treats a teardown as a starter home. Every street looks like a beige brochure with a lacrosse net in the yard.
Wheaton
Wheaton is older, with an aging housing stock and no land left to build on for decades, so its big move is staying exactly as it is. It's a charming downtown where everyone is quietly, politely, and very conservatively judging your weekend.
Both are beige, but Naperville at least has a Riverwalk and a growth plan. Naperville survives on curb appeal.
The verdict
Naperville takes the tiebreaker, 2–2.
Naperville wins a split decision, but it still lost the bell, the Red Grange game, and two football and soccer matches, so don't gloat. Wheaton can pray about it.
Who really won?
The judge has spoken. Now you do.
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