Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Springfield, MA
🏆 Arlington leads 15 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Springfield
Massachusetts
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,677
Violent Crime Index
235⚠ High
Population
155,305
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $89,710 more per year on average
71% less violent crime than Springfield
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.9 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)
Milder winters — January highs near 45°F vs 35°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Springfield
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Springfield, MA
Pros
Homes cost $635k less ($198,500 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1180/mo less ($1,047 vs $2,227)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $89,710/yr
Violent crime (891.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2835.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.7% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$89,710
$137,387 vs $47,677/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
71% lower
254.4 vs 891.4 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
5.9 pp lower
2.8% vs 8.7% unemployment
Arlington
Summer Heat
4.7°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 84.9°F
Springfield
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 98.4 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Springfield
Median Home Value
$635k less
$198,500 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Springfield, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 98.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $198,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,047 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $47,677 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 8.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 21.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 195⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 235⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 20.0% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 79.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Springfield |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F ✓ Warmer | 34.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 84.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" ✓ Drier | 50.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" ✓ Less | 51.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 155,305 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 47.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 24.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Springfield's 98.4 (US average = 100).
Springfield is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 15 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 15 and Springfield wins 8. 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 Springfield or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $198,500 median home), income ($137,387 vs $47,677), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Springfield, MA are about 328 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.