Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charlotte, NC
VS
Suffolk, VA
🏆 Charlotte leads 12 of 23 categories
Charlotte
North Carolina
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,070
Violent Crime Index
193⚠ High
Population
875,045 ✓ Larger
Suffolk
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$87,758 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
98 ✓ Safer
Population
94,856
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charlotte, NC
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (4.7%)
More college-educated — 46.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cons
Violent crime (733.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Suffolk by $13,688/yr
Property crime (3705.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Suffolk, VA
Pros
49% less violent crime than Charlotte
Households earn $13,688 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher unemployment (6.3% vs 4.7%)
Longer commutes — 29.6 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Charlotte
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
4.7% vs 6.3% unemployment
Charlotte
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 90.3°F vs 86.8°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 97.0 on the COL index
Suffolk
Median Income
$13,688
$87,758 vs $74,070/yr
Suffolk
Violent Crime
49% lower
371.0 vs 733.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Suffolk, 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 | $314,400⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,399⚠ High | $1,376⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,070 | $87,758 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 29.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 7.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 186⚠ High | 89 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 193⚠ High | 98 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 176⚠ High | 75 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.6% ✓ Higher | 32.1% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% | 91.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | Suffolk City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.3°F ✓ Warmer | 49.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer | 86.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.8" ✓ Drier | 51.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.5" ✓ Less | 5.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 875,045 ✓ Larger | 94,856 |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 38.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.1% | 70.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.9% | 23.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 14.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charlotte's cost of living index is 97.0 vs Suffolk's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Charlotte is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charlotte leads 12 of 23 categories. Charlotte wins 12 and Suffolk wins 11. 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 Suffolk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($312,800 vs $314,400 median home), income ($74,070 vs $87,758), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charlotte, NC and Suffolk, VA are about 256 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.