Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Baltimore, MD
VS
Portsmouth, VA
🏆 Portsmouth leads 14 of 23 categories
Baltimore
Maryland
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$58,349 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
423⚠ High
Population
584,548 ✓ Larger
Portsmouth
Virginia
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,154
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
97,384
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Baltimore, MD
Pros
More college-educated — 34.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (1606.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4157.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Longer commutes — 30.1 min average each way
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Portsmouth
Portsmouth, VA
Pros
53% less violent crime than Baltimore
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 44°F
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Baltimore
Cons
Violent crime (752.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3860.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Baltimore
Median Income
$1,195
$58,349 vs $57,154/yr
Baltimore
Median Home Value
$10k less
$202,900 vs $213,300
Portsmouth
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 102.7 (100 = US avg)
Portsmouth
Violent Crime
53% lower
752.4 vs 1606.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Baltimore, MD | Portsmouth, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.7⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $202,900 ✓ Lower | $213,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,235 | $1,225 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,349 ✓ Higher | $57,154 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9%⚠ High | 6.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.1 min⚠ High | 23.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.4% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 333⚠ High | 192⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 423⚠ High | 198⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 198⚠ High | 184⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.9% ✓ Higher | 21.2% |
| High School or Higher | 87.1% | 89.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Baltimore City Public Schools | Portsmouth City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 43.7°F | 48.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.1°F ✓ Warmer | 88.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.7" ✓ Drier | 50.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 19.3" | 3.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 584,548 ✓ Larger | 97,384 |
| Median Age | 36.0 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.8% | 56.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | 23.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.8% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Baltimore's cost of living index is 102.7 vs Portsmouth's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Portsmouth is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Portsmouth leads 14 of 23 categories. Baltimore wins 9 and Portsmouth 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 Baltimore to Portsmouth or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($202,900 vs $213,300 median home), income ($58,349 vs $57,154), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Baltimore, MD and Portsmouth, VA are about 169 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.