Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Baton Rouge, LA
🏆 Arlington leads 13 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Baton Rouge
Louisiana
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$50,155
Violent Crime Index
270⚠ High
Population
225,500
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $87,232 more per year on average
75% less violent crime than Baton Rouge
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.8 pts lower (2.8%)
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Baton Rouge
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Baton Rouge, LA
Pros
Homes cost $616k less ($217,700 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1217/mo less ($1,010 vs $2,227)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 61°F vs 45°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $87,232/yr
Violent crime (1027.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5852.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.6% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$87,232
$137,387 vs $50,155/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
75% lower
254.4 vs 1027.7 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
5.8 pp lower
2.8% vs 8.6% unemployment
Baton Rouge
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Baton Rouge
Median Home Value
$616k less
$217,700 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Baton Rouge, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $217,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,010 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $50,155 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 21.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 6.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 274⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 270⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 279⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 13.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 36.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 87.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | East Baton Rouge Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 60.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" ✓ Drier | 67.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 225,500 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 47.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 20.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 14.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Baton Rouge's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Baton Rouge is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 13 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 13 and Baton Rouge wins 10. 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 Arlington to Baton Rouge or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $217,700 median home), income ($137,387 vs $50,155), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Baton Rouge, LA are about 986 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.