Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Yuma, AZ
🏆 Yuma leads 12 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Yuma
Arizona
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,312
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
96,314
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $78,075 more per year on average
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
40% less violent crime than Yuma
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.9 pts lower (2.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 107°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Yuma
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Yuma, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $647k less ($186,500 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1199/mo less ($1,028 vs $2,227)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Milder winters — January highs near 70°F vs 45°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.4)
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $78,075/yr
Higher unemployment (7.7% vs 2.8%)
Hot summers — July highs average 107°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$78,075
$137,387 vs $59,312/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
40% lower
254.4 vs 423.6 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
4.9 pp lower
2.8% vs 7.7% unemployment
Yuma
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 93.4 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Yuma
Median Home Value
$647k less
$186,500 vs $833,300
Yuma
Summer Heat
17.1°F warmer
July avg high 106.7°F vs 89.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Yuma, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 93.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $186,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,028 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $59,312 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 17.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 91 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 111⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 | 59 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | C- (70) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 20.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 83.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Yuma Elementary District (4499) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 69.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 106.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 3.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 96,314 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 32.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 64.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 25.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 16.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Yuma's 93.4 (US average = 100).
Yuma is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Yuma leads 12 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 11 and Yuma wins 12. 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 Yuma or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $186,500 median home), income ($137,387 vs $59,312), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Yuma, AZ are about 2,130 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.