Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Newport News, VA
🏆 Newport News leads 13 of 23 categories
Cambridge
Massachusetts
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,539 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
117,962
Newport News
Virginia
13
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.
Cambridge, MA
Pros
Households earn $58,184 more per year on average
More college-educated — 79.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
41% less violent crime than Newport News
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (3.3%)
Smaller class sizes — 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $997,600
Higher rents — median is $2,628/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Newport News
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $764k less ($233,400 vs $997,600)
Rent averages $1419/mo less ($1,209 vs $2,628)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Cambridge
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 37°F
Cons
Median income trails Cambridge by $58,184/yr
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 3.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cambridge
Median Income
$58,184
$121,539 vs $63,355/yr
Cambridge
Violent Crime
41% lower
436.7 vs 736.0 per 100k
Cambridge
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
3.3% vs 5.6% unemployment
Newport News
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Newport News
Median Home Value
$764k less
$233,400 vs $997,600
Newport News
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 88.2°F vs 84.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | Newport News, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $997,600⚠ High | $233,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High | $1,209 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 ✓ Higher | $63,355 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High ✓ Safer | 162⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer | 194⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | B+ (105) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 12.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 28.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 91.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | Newport News City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F | 49.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 2.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 | 185,118 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 34.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 47.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% | 13.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Newport News's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Newport News is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Newport News leads 13 of 23 categories. Cambridge wins 10 and Newport News wins 13. 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 Cambridge to Newport News or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $233,400 median home), income ($121,539 vs $63,355), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Newport News, VA are about 465 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.