Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Henderson, NV
🏆 Henderson leads 14 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845
Henderson
Nevada
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,311
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
318,063 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $52,076 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.2 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)
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 105°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Henderson
Henderson, NV
Pros
Homes cost $405k less ($427,900 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $586/mo less ($1,641 vs $2,227)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 45°F
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $52,076/yr
Higher unemployment (7.0% vs 2.8%)
Hot summers — July highs average 105°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$52,076
$137,387 vs $85,311/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
7% lower
254.4 vs 272.4 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
4.2 pp lower
2.8% vs 7.0% unemployment
Henderson
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 103.9 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Henderson
Median Home Value
$405k less
$427,900 vs $833,300
Henderson
Summer Heat
14.9°F warmer
July avg high 104.5°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Henderson, NV |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 103.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $427,900⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,641⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $85,311 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 7.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 23.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 13.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 76 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 | 82 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 35.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 93.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Clark County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 58.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 104.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 6.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 | 318,063 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.3 | 42.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 65.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 21.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 20.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Henderson's 103.9 (US average = 100).
Henderson is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Henderson leads 14 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 9 and Henderson wins 14. 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 Henderson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $427,900 median home), income ($137,387 vs $85,311), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Henderson, NV are about 2,075 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.