Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carlsbad, CA
VS
Newport News, VA
🏆 Carlsbad leads 14 of 23 categories
Carlsbad
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$134,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
114,745
Newport News
Virginia
9
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.
Carlsbad, CA
Pros
Households earn $70,784 more per year on average
73% less violent crime than Newport News
More college-educated — 59.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (199.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 49°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 74°F vs 88°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,070,500
Higher rents — median is $2,477/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Newport News
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $837k less ($233,400 vs $1,070,500)
Rent averages $1268/mo less ($1,209 vs $2,477)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Carlsbad
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Carlsbad by $70,784/yr
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Carlsbad
Median Income
$70,784
$134,139 vs $63,355/yr
Carlsbad
Violent Crime
73% lower
199.1 vs 736.0 per 100k
Newport News
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Newport News
Median Home Value
$837k less
$233,400 vs $1,070,500
Newport News
Summer Heat
14.0°F warmer
July avg high 88.2°F vs 74.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carlsbad, CA | Newport News, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,070,500⚠ High | $233,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,477⚠ High | $1,209 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $134,139 ✓ Higher | $63,355 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.5 min⚠ High | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 24.8% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 162⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 ✓ Safer | 194⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B+ (105) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.7:1 | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 28.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.1% ✓ Higher | 91.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Carlsbad Unified | Newport News City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.0°F ✓ Warmer | 49.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 74.2°F | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.4" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,745 | 185,118 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 42.4 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.2% ✓ Higher | 47.6% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.8% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carlsbad's cost of living index is 111.5 vs Newport News's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Newport News is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Carlsbad leads 14 of 23 categories. Carlsbad wins 14 and Newport News wins 9. 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 Carlsbad to Newport News or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,070,500 vs $233,400 median home), income ($134,139 vs $63,355), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carlsbad, CA and Newport News, VA are about 2,303 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.