Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Alexandria, VA
VS
Newport News, VA
🏆 Newport News leads 12 of 23 categories
Alexandria
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$113,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
58 ✓ Safer
Population
157,594
Newport News
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,355
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
185,118 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Alexandria, VA
Pros
Households earn $49,824 more per year on average
70% less violent crime than Newport News
More college-educated — 66.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (3.2%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (219.1 vs 380/100k)
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
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Newport News
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $422k less ($233,400 vs $655,700)
Rent averages $774/mo less ($1,209 vs $1,983)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Alexandria
Smaller class sizes — 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Alexandria by $49,824/yr
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 3.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Alexandria
Median Income
$49,824
$113,179 vs $63,355/yr
Alexandria
Violent Crime
70% lower
219.1 vs 736.0 per 100k
Alexandria
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
3.2% vs 5.6% unemployment
Newport News
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Newport News
Median Home Value
$422k less
$233,400 vs $655,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Alexandria, VA | Newport News, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $655,700⚠ High | $233,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,983⚠ High | $1,209 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $113,179 ✓ Higher | $63,355 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.1 min⚠ High | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.1% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 162⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 194⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B+ (105) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 66.0% ✓ Higher | 28.7% |
| High School or Higher | 93.7% ✓ Higher | 91.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Alexandria City Public Schools | Newport News City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 49.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 88.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 2.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 157,594 | 185,118 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.7% | 47.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 13.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Alexandria's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Newport News's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Newport News is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Newport News leads 12 of 23 categories. Alexandria wins 11 and Newport News wins 12. 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 Newport News or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($655,700 vs $233,400 median home), income ($113,179 vs $63,355), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Alexandria, VA and Newport News, VA are about 124 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.