Below Average CostVery SafeVirginia Beach City Public Schools
VB Oceanfront · DanRVA / CC BY-SA 4.0Fort Story lighthouses · United States Navy, Photographer's Mate 1st Class Ken Riley / Public domainThe Cavalier Hotel (4665105594) · Serge Melki from Indianapolis, USA / CC BY 2.0Sunset over Currituck Sound · Lago Mar / CC BY-SA 4.0
Virginia Beach is a large city of 457,900 in Virginia, with a median household income of $87,544
and a 4.3% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is
3% below the national average.
Strengths:
Virginia Beach stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Virginia Beach is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Virginia Beach city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 97.4
Virginia Beach's overall cost of living index is 97.4,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Virginia Beach costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.
Metric
Virginia Beach, VA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$343,700
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,568
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
64.6%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$87,544
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Virginia Beach's violent crime rate is 92.3 per 100,000 residents
— 76% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
92.3 /100k
Property Crime
1639.9 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Virginia Beach is served primarily by Virginia Beach City Public Schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.3:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Virginia Beach, VA
National Avg
School District
Virginia Beach City Public Schools
—
Elementary Schools
55
—
Middle Schools
15
—
High Schools
12
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.3:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
39.8%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
94.5%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Virginia Beach sees average highs of 50.3°F in January
and 87.4°F in July,
with 54.7 inches of annual precipitation
and 3.4 inches of snow per year.
Virginia Beach's cost of living index is 97, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Virginia Beach roughly 3% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $343,700 and median rent is $1,568/month.
Virginia Beach's violent crime rate is 92.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1639.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Virginia Beach are operated by Virginia Beach City Public Schools.
The district has 55 elementary, 15 middle, and 12 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.3:1. 39.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Virginia Beach, VA has a population of 457,900, a median household income of $87,544, and an unemployment rate of 4.3%.
Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Virginia Beach averages 50.3°F in January and 87.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 54.7 inches
with about 3.4 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Virginia Beach, VA is covered by 12 ZIP codes: 23457, 23456, 23454, 23451, 23464, 23455, 23452, 23462, 23453, 23460, 23459, 23461.
The population of Virginia Beach, Virginia is 457,900 with a median age of 37.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Virginia Beach: cost of living index 97 (100 = US average), median home $343,700, median household income $87,544, crime index 46 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Virginia Beach side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
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