Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Orlando, FL
🏆 Arlington leads 14 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845
Orlando
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.1⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,292
Violent Crime Index
220⚠ High
Population
307,738 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $71,095 more per year on average
70% less violent crime than Orlando
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (2.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Orlando
Orlando, FL
Pros
Homes cost $501k less ($332,700 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $718/mo less ($1,509 vs $2,227)
Milder winters — January highs near 72°F vs 45°F
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $71,095/yr
Violent crime (835.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4028.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$71,095
$137,387 vs $66,292/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
70% lower
254.4 vs 835.8 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
2.8% vs 5.2% unemployment
Orlando
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 101.1 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Orlando
Median Home Value
$501k less
$332,700 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Orlando, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 101.1⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $332,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,509⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $66,292 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 26.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 12.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 209⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 220⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 192⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 41.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 91.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | ORANGE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 71.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 92.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" ✓ Drier | 51.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 | 307,738 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 34.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% ✓ Higher | 39.2% |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 20.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% ✓ More | 10.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Orlando's 101.1 (US average = 100).
Orlando is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 14 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 14 and Orlando wins 9. 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 Orlando or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $332,700 median home), income ($137,387 vs $66,292), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Orlando, FL are about 762 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.