Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Virginia Beach, VA
🏆 Virginia Beach leads 15 of 23 categories
Cambridge
Massachusetts
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,539 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
117,962
Virginia Beach
Virginia
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,544
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.
Cambridge, MA
Pros
Households earn $33,995 more per year on average
More college-educated — 79.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 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 Virginia Beach
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
Homes cost $654k less ($343,700 vs $997,600)
Rent averages $1060/mo less ($1,568 vs $2,628)
79% less violent crime than Cambridge
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Cambridge
Milder winters — January highs near 50°F vs 37°F
Cons
Median income trails Cambridge by $33,995/yr
Higher unemployment (4.3% vs 3.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cambridge
Median Income
$33,995
$121,539 vs $87,544/yr
Cambridge
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
3.3% vs 4.3% unemployment
Virginia Beach
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Virginia Beach
Violent Crime
79% lower
92.3 vs 436.7 per 100k
Virginia Beach
Median Home Value
$654k less
$343,700 vs $997,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | Virginia Beach, 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 | $343,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High | $1,568⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 ✓ Higher | $87,544 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% ✓ Lower | 4.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min | 23.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 10.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High | 46 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 78 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 39.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 94.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F | 50.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F | 87.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" ✓ Drier | 54.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 3.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 | 457,900 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 37.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 64.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 22.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Virginia Beach's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Virginia Beach is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Virginia Beach leads 15 of 23 categories. Cambridge 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 Cambridge to Virginia Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $343,700 median home), income ($121,539 vs $87,544), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Virginia Beach, VA are about 467 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.