Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Chesapeake, VA
VS
College Station, TX
🏆 College Station leads 16 of 23 categories
Chesapeake
Virginia
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$92,703 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
89
Population
249,377 ✓ Larger
College Station
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
120,451
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Chesapeake, VA
Pros
Households earn $40,306 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,446/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $339,500
Cost of living runs 7% higher than College Station
College Station, TX
Pros
50% less violent crime than Chesapeake
Rent averages $317/mo less ($1,129 vs $1,446)
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Homes cost $34k less ($305,800 vs $339,500)
Cons
Median income trails Chesapeake by $40,306/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Chesapeake
Median Income
$40,306
$92,703 vs $52,397/yr
College Station
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
College Station
Violent Crime
50% lower
170.5 vs 339.4 per 100k
College Station
Median Home Value
$34k less
$305,800 vs $339,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Chesapeake, VA | College Station, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $339,500⚠ High | $305,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,446⚠ High | $1,129 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,703 ✓ Higher | $52,397 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% | 11.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 87 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 | 45 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 | 53 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) | A (129) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.8% | 58.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 93.3% | 95.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Chesapeake City Public Schools | COLLEGE STATION ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.3°F | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.0" | 46.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 249,377 ✓ Larger | 120,451 |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 22.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.3% ✓ Higher | 36.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% ✓ More | 16.5% |
| Over 65 | 13.8% ✓ More | 6.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Chesapeake's cost of living index is 97.4 vs College Station's 90.7 (US average = 100).
College Station is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, College Station leads 16 of 23 categories. Chesapeake wins 7 and College Station wins 16. 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 Chesapeake to College Station or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,500 vs $305,800 median home), income ($92,703 vs $52,397), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Chesapeake, VA and College Station, TX are about 1,222 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.