Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Clarksville, TN
🏆 Arlington leads 12 of 22 categories
Arlington
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Clarksville
Tennessee
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,688
Violent Crime Index
108⚠ High
Population
167,882
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $74,699 more per year on average
38% less violent crime than Clarksville
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.7 pts lower (2.8%)
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 14% higher than Clarksville
Clarksville, TN
Pros
Homes cost $620k less ($213,200 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1108/mo less ($1,119 vs $2,227)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.3)
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $74,699/yr
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$74,699
$137,387 vs $62,688/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
38% lower
254.4 vs 410.0 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
3.7 pp lower
2.8% vs 6.5% unemployment
Clarksville
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 94.3 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Clarksville
Median Home Value
$620k less
$213,200 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Clarksville, TN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 94.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $213,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,119 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $62,688 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 25.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 96 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 | 78 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 | — |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 28.9% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 94.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Montgomery County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 46.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 89.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" ✓ Drier | 53.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 167,882 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 30.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 56.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 26.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% ✓ More | 8.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Clarksville's 94.3 (US average = 100).
Clarksville is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Arlington leads 12 of 22 categories. Arlington wins 12 and Clarksville 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 Clarksville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $213,200 median home), income ($137,387 vs $62,688), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Clarksville, TN are about 582 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.