Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boca Raton, FL
VS
Newport News, VA
🏆 Boca Raton leads 15 of 23 categories
Boca Raton
Florida
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$95,570 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
97,980
Newport News
Virginia
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,355
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
185,118 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Boca Raton, FL
Pros
77% less violent crime than Newport News
Households earn $32,215 more per year on average
More college-educated — 59.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (171.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 49°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $597,100
Higher rents — median is $2,170/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Newport News
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $364k less ($233,400 vs $597,100)
Rent averages $961/mo less ($1,209 vs $2,170)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Boca Raton
Smaller class sizes — 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Boca Raton by $32,215/yr
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Boca Raton
Median Income
$32,215
$95,570 vs $63,355/yr
Boca Raton
Violent Crime
77% lower
171.0 vs 736.0 per 100k
Newport News
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Newport News
Median Home Value
$364k less
$233,400 vs $597,100
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boca Raton, FL | Newport News, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $597,100⚠ High | $233,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,170⚠ High | $1,209 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $95,570 ✓ Higher | $63,355 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter | 23.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 18.0% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 59 ✓ Safer | 162⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 194⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 80 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B+ (105) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.4:1 | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.0% ✓ Higher | 28.7% |
| High School or Higher | 96.0% ✓ Higher | 91.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PALM BEACH | Newport News City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.3°F ✓ Warmer | 49.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F ✓ Warmer | 88.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 65.6" | 51.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,980 | 185,118 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 47.1 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 47.6% |
| Under 18 | 17.0% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 25.7% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boca Raton's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Newport News's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Newport News is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Boca Raton leads 15 of 23 categories. Boca Raton wins 15 and Newport News 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 Boca Raton to Newport News or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,100 vs $233,400 median home), income ($95,570 vs $63,355), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boca Raton, FL and Newport News, VA are about 769 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.