Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Birmingham, AL
VS
Chesapeake, VA
🏆 Chesapeake leads 16 of 23 categories
Birmingham
Alabama
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$42,464
Violent Crime Index
328⚠ High
Population
200,431
Chesapeake
Virginia
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$92,703 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
89 ✓ Safer
Population
249,377 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Birmingham, AL
Pros
Homes cost $217k less ($123,000 vs $339,500)
Rent averages $451/mo less ($995 vs $1,446)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.6)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Chesapeake
Cons
Median income trails Chesapeake by $50,239/yr
Violent crime (1246.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4031.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.5% vs 5.0%)
Chesapeake, VA
Pros
Households earn $50,239 more per year on average
73% less violent crime than Birmingham
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 35.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $339,500
Higher rents — median is $1,446/mo
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Birmingham
Key Differences at a Glance
Birmingham
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 92.6 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Birmingham
Median Home Value
$217k less
$123,000 vs $339,500
Chesapeake
Median Income
$50,239
$92,703 vs $42,464/yr
Chesapeake
Violent Crime
73% lower
339.4 vs 1246.6 per 100k
Chesapeake
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
5.0% vs 7.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Birmingham, AL | Chesapeake, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.6 ✓ Cheaper | 97.4 |
| Median Home Value | $123,000 ✓ Lower | $339,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $995 ✓ Lower | $1,446⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $42,464 | $92,703 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter | 26.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.6% | 9.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 274⚠ High | 87 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 328⚠ High | 89 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 192⚠ High | 83 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.4% | 35.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.1% | 93.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Birmingham City | Chesapeake City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.5°F ✓ Warmer | 54.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.0°F | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.1" | 54.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.4" ✓ Less | 6.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 200,431 | 249,377 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 37.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.9% | 73.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.2% ✓ More | 13.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Birmingham's cost of living index is 92.6 vs Chesapeake's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Birmingham is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Chesapeake leads 16 of 23 categories. Birmingham wins 7 and Chesapeake wins 16. 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 Birmingham to Chesapeake or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($123,000 vs $339,500 median home), income ($42,464 vs $92,703), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Birmingham, AL and Chesapeake, VA are about 632 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.