Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Anchorage, AK
VS
Virginia Beach, VA
🏆 Virginia Beach leads 18 of 23 categories
Anchorage
Alaska
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$95,731 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
267⚠ High
Population
290,674
Virginia Beach
Virginia
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,544
Violent Crime Index
24 ✓ Safer
Population
457,900 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Anchorage, AK
Pros
Cooler summers — July highs near 67°F vs 87°F
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Rent averages $163/mo less ($1,405 vs $1,568)
Households earn $8,187 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (1014.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2765.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 4.3%)
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
91% less violent crime than Anchorage
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 50°F vs 21°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (4.3%)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Anchorage
Homes cost $20k less ($343,700 vs $363,800)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,568/mo
Median income trails Anchorage by $8,187/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Anchorage
Median Income
$8,187
$95,731 vs $87,544/yr
Virginia Beach
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 104.5 (100 = US avg)
Virginia Beach
Violent Crime
91% lower
92.3 vs 1014.8 per 100k
Virginia Beach
Median Home Value
$20k less
$343,700 vs $363,800
Virginia Beach
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.2% unemployment
Virginia Beach
Summer Heat
20.0°F warmer
July avg high 87.4°F vs 67.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Anchorage, AK | Virginia Beach, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.5⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $363,800⚠ High | $343,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,405⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,568⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $95,731 ✓ Higher | $87,544 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.1 min ✓ Shorter | 23.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% | 10.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 213⚠ High | 46 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 267⚠ High | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 132⚠ High | 78 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.3:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.0% | 39.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 94.2% | 94.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Anchorage School District | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 20.9°F | 50.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 67.4°F | 87.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 22.6" ✓ Drier | 54.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 59.3" | 3.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 290,674 | 457,900 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 37.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.8% | 64.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.9% ✓ More | 22.0% |
| Over 65 | 12.0% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Anchorage's cost of living index is 104.5 vs Virginia Beach's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Virginia Beach is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Virginia Beach leads 18 of 23 categories. Anchorage wins 5 and Virginia Beach wins 18. 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 Anchorage to Virginia Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($363,800 vs $343,700 median home), income ($95,731 vs $87,544), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Anchorage, AK and Virginia Beach, VA are about 3,491 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.