Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charlotte, NC
VS
Virginia Beach, VA
🏆 Virginia Beach leads 13 of 23 categories
Charlotte
North Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,070
Violent Crime Index
193⚠ High
Population
875,045 ✓ Larger
Virginia Beach
Virginia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$87,544 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
24 ✓ Safer
Population
457,900
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charlotte, NC
Pros
Rent averages $169/mo less ($1,399 vs $1,568)
Homes cost $31k less ($312,800 vs $343,700)
More college-educated — 46.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (733.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Virginia Beach by $13,474/yr
Property crime (3705.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
87% less violent crime than Charlotte
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $13,474 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,568/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $343,700
Key Differences at a Glance
Charlotte
Median Home Value
$31k less
$312,800 vs $343,700
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 97.0 on the COL index
Virginia Beach
Median Income
$13,474
$87,544 vs $74,070/yr
Virginia Beach
Violent Crime
87% lower
92.3 vs 733.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Virginia Beach, 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 | $343,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,399⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,568⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,070 | $87,544 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min | 23.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 10.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 186⚠ High | 46 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 193⚠ High | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 176⚠ High | 78 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.6% ✓ Higher | 39.8% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% | 94.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.3°F ✓ Warmer | 50.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer | 87.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.8" ✓ Drier | 54.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.5" | 3.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 875,045 ✓ Larger | 457,900 |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 37.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.1% | 64.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.9% ✓ More | 22.0% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charlotte's cost of living index is 97.0 vs Virginia Beach's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Charlotte is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Virginia Beach leads 13 of 23 categories. Charlotte wins 10 and Virginia Beach wins 13. 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 Virginia Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($312,800 vs $343,700 median home), income ($74,070 vs $87,544), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charlotte, NC and Virginia Beach, VA are about 289 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.