Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Newport News, VA
🏆 Cary leads 16 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880
Newport News
Virginia
7
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.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $61,962 more per year on average
90% less violent crime than Newport News
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $244k less ($233,400 vs $477,400)
Rent averages $329/mo less ($1,209 vs $1,538)
Smaller class sizes — 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $61,962/yr
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$61,962
$125,317 vs $63,355/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
90% lower
71.0 vs 736.0 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
3.4% vs 5.6% unemployment
Newport News
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Newport News
Median Home Value
$244k less
$233,400 vs $477,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Newport News, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $233,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,209 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $63,355 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 23.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 162⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 194⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B+ (105) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 28.7% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 91.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Newport News City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F ✓ Warmer | 49.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F ✓ Warmer | 88.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 2.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 | 185,118 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 47.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 23.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 13.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Newport News's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Newport News is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 16 of 23 categories. Cary wins 16 and Newport News wins 7. 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 Cary to Newport News or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $233,400 median home), income ($125,317 vs $63,355), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Newport News, VA are about 156 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.