Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Alexandria, VA
VS
Longmont, CO
🏆 Alexandria leads 12 of 23 categories
Alexandria
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$113,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
58 ✓ Safer
Population
157,594 ✓ Larger
Longmont
Colorado
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$89,720
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High
Population
98,282
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Alexandria, VA
Pros
53% less violent crime than Longmont
Households earn $23,459 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (219.1 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 66.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (3.2%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $655,700
Higher rents — median is $1,983/mo
Property crime (2640.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Longer commutes — 30.1 min average each way
Longmont, CO
Pros
Homes cost $168k less ($488,100 vs $655,700)
Rent averages $294/mo less ($1,689 vs $1,983)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Alexandria
Cons
Violent crime (469.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Alexandria by $23,459/yr
Property crime (2618.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.1% vs 3.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Alexandria
Median Income
$23,459
$113,179 vs $89,720/yr
Alexandria
Violent Crime
53% lower
219.1 vs 469.3 per 100k
Alexandria
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
3.2% vs 4.1% unemployment
Longmont
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Longmont
Median Home Value
$168k less
$488,100 vs $655,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Alexandria, VA | Longmont, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $655,700⚠ High | $488,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,983⚠ High | $1,689⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $113,179 ✓ Higher | $89,720 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 4.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.1 min⚠ High | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.1% ✓ Higher | 17.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 125⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 66.0% ✓ Higher | 46.0% |
| High School or Higher | 93.7% ✓ Higher | 92.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Alexandria City Public Schools | St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1J |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F ✓ Warmer | 44.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 90.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" | 16.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" ✓ Less | 47.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 157,594 ✓ Larger | 98,282 |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 39.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.7% | 63.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 20.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 17.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Alexandria's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Longmont's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Longmont is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Alexandria leads 12 of 23 categories. Alexandria wins 12 and Longmont wins 11. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Alexandria to Longmont or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($655,700 vs $488,100 median home), income ($113,179 vs $89,720), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Alexandria, VA and Longmont, CO are about 1,491 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.