Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charlotte, NC
VS
Chesapeake, VA
🏆 Chesapeake leads 12 of 23 categories
Charlotte
North Carolina
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,070
Violent Crime Index
193⚠ High
Population
875,045 ✓ Larger
Chesapeake
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$92,703 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
89 ✓ Safer
Population
249,377
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charlotte, NC
Pros
More college-educated — 46.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Homes cost $27k less ($312,800 vs $339,500)
Cons
Violent crime (733.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Chesapeake by $18,633/yr
Property crime (3705.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Chesapeake, VA
Pros
54% less violent crime than Charlotte
Households earn $18,633 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $339,500
Key Differences at a Glance
Charlotte
Median Home Value
$27k less
$312,800 vs $339,500
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 97.0 on the COL index
Chesapeake
Median Income
$18,633
$92,703 vs $74,070/yr
Chesapeake
Violent Crime
54% lower
339.4 vs 733.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Chesapeake, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.0 ✓ Cheaper | 97.4 |
| Median Home Value | $312,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $339,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,399⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,446⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,070 | $92,703 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 26.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 186⚠ High | 87 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 193⚠ High | 89 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 176⚠ High | 83 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.6% ✓ Higher | 35.8% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% | 93.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | Chesapeake City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.3°F | 54.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.8" ✓ Drier | 54.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.5" ✓ Less | 6.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 875,045 ✓ Larger | 249,377 |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 37.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.1% | 73.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.9% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 13.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charlotte's cost of living index is 97.0 vs Chesapeake's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Charlotte is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Chesapeake leads 12 of 23 categories. Charlotte wins 11 and Chesapeake wins 12. 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 Charlotte to Chesapeake or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($312,800 vs $339,500 median home), income ($74,070 vs $92,703), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charlotte, NC and Chesapeake, VA are about 273 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.