Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Birmingham, AL
VS
Virginia Beach, VA
🏆 Virginia Beach leads 15 of 23 categories
Birmingham
Alabama
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$42,464
Violent Crime Index
328⚠ High
Population
200,431
Virginia Beach
Virginia
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$87,544 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
24 ✓ Safer
Population
457,900 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Birmingham, AL
Pros
Homes cost $221k less ($123,000 vs $343,700)
Rent averages $573/mo less ($995 vs $1,568)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.6)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Virginia Beach
Cons
Median income trails Virginia Beach by $45,080/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 4.3%)
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
Households earn $45,080 more per year on average
93% less violent crime than Birmingham
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.2 pts lower (4.3%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 39.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $343,700
Higher rents — median is $1,568/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
$221k less
$123,000 vs $343,700
Birmingham
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 91.0°F vs 87.4°F
Virginia Beach
Median Income
$45,080
$87,544 vs $42,464/yr
Virginia Beach
Violent Crime
93% lower
92.3 vs 1246.6 per 100k
Virginia Beach
Unemployment
3.2 pp lower
4.3% vs 7.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Birmingham, AL | Virginia Beach, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.6 ✓ Cheaper | 97.4 |
| Median Home Value | $123,000 ✓ Lower | $343,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $995 ✓ Lower | $1,568⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $42,464 | $87,544 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter | 23.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.6% | 10.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 274⚠ High | 46 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 328⚠ High | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 192⚠ High | 78 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.4% | 39.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.1% | 94.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Birmingham City | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.5°F ✓ Warmer | 50.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer | 87.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.1" | 54.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.4" ✓ Less | 3.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 200,431 | 457,900 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 37.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.9% | 64.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | 22.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.2% ✓ More | 15.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Birmingham's cost of living index is 92.6 vs Virginia Beach's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Birmingham is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Virginia Beach leads 15 of 23 categories. Birmingham wins 8 and Virginia Beach wins 15. 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 Virginia Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($123,000 vs $343,700 median home), income ($42,464 vs $87,544), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Birmingham, AL and Virginia Beach, VA are about 648 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.