Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Chesapeake, VA
VS
El Paso, TX
🏆 El Paso leads 13 of 23 categories
Chesapeake
Virginia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$92,703 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
89
Population
249,377
El Paso
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,710
Violent Crime Index
73 ✓ Safer
Population
677,181 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Chesapeake, VA
Pros
Households earn $36,993 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 35.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $339,500
Higher rents — median is $1,446/mo
Cost of living runs 7% higher than El Paso
El Paso, TX
Pros
Homes cost $180k less ($159,300 vs $339,500)
Rent averages $470/mo less ($976 vs $1,446)
18% less violent crime than Chesapeake
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.2)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Chesapeake
Cons
Median income trails Chesapeake by $36,993/yr
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 5.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Chesapeake
Median Income
$36,993
$92,703 vs $55,710/yr
Chesapeake
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
5.0% vs 6.8% unemployment
El Paso
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 90.2 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
El Paso
Violent Crime
18% lower
278.4 vs 339.4 per 100k
El Paso
Median Home Value
$180k less
$159,300 vs $339,500
El Paso
Summer Heat
3.3°F warmer
July avg high 95.8°F vs 92.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Chesapeake, VA | El Paso, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 90.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $339,500⚠ High | $159,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,446⚠ High | $976 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,703 ✓ Higher | $55,710 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% ✓ Higher | 6.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 87 | 72 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 | 73 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 | 71 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.8% ✓ Higher | 27.1% |
| High School or Higher | 93.3% ✓ Higher | 81.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Chesapeake City Public Schools | EL PASO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.3°F | 58.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F | 95.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.0" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.2" | 2.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 249,377 | 677,181 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 33.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.3% ✓ Higher | 59.5% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.8% ✓ More | 13.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Chesapeake's cost of living index is 97.4 vs El Paso's 90.2 (US average = 100).
El Paso is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, El Paso leads 13 of 23 categories. Chesapeake wins 10 and El Paso 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 Chesapeake to El Paso or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,500 vs $159,300 median home), income ($92,703 vs $55,710), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Chesapeake, VA and El Paso, TX are about 1,745 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.