Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Newport News, VA
🏆 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
Newport News
Virginia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,355
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
185,118
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $74,032 more per year on average
65% less violent crime than Newport News
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.8 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 11% higher than Newport News
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $600k less ($233,400 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1018/mo less ($1,209 vs $2,227)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $74,032/yr
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$74,032
$137,387 vs $63,355/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
65% lower
254.4 vs 736.0 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
2.8 pp lower
2.8% 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
$600k less
$233,400 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, 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 | $833,300⚠ High | $233,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,209 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $63,355 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 162⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 194⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B+ (105) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 28.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 91.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County 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 | 47.2" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 2.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 185,118 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 47.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 13.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington'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, Arlington leads 13 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 13 and Newport News 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 Newport News or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $233,400 median home), income ($137,387 vs $63,355), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Newport News, VA are about 128 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.