Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Chesapeake, VA
VS
Fayetteville, NC
🏆 Chesapeake leads 17 of 23 categories
Chesapeake
Virginia
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$92,703 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
89 ✓ Safer
Population
249,377 ✓ Larger
Fayetteville
North Carolina
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$53,424
Violent Crime Index
174⚠ High
Population
208,697
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Chesapeake, VA
Pros
Households earn $39,279 more per year on average
49% less violent crime than Fayetteville
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.4 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 35.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $339,500
Higher rents — median is $1,446/mo
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Fayetteville
Fayetteville, NC
Pros
Homes cost $181k less ($158,500 vs $339,500)
Rent averages $329/mo less ($1,117 vs $1,446)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Chesapeake
Cons
Median income trails Chesapeake by $39,279/yr
Violent crime (660.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3094.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.4% vs 5.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Chesapeake
Median Income
$39,279
$92,703 vs $53,424/yr
Chesapeake
Violent Crime
49% lower
339.4 vs 660.2 per 100k
Chesapeake
Unemployment
3.4 pp lower
5.0% vs 8.4% unemployment
Fayetteville
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Fayetteville
Median Home Value
$181k less
$158,500 vs $339,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Chesapeake, VA | Fayetteville, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $339,500⚠ High | $158,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,446⚠ High | $1,117 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,703 ✓ Higher | $53,424 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 19.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% ✓ Higher | 5.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 87 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 174⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 147⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.8% ✓ Higher | 28.5% |
| High School or Higher | 93.3% ✓ Higher | 93.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Chesapeake City Public Schools | Cumberland County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.3°F ✓ Warmer | 54.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer | 90.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.0" | 47.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.2" | 1.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 249,377 ✓ Larger | 208,697 |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 30.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.3% ✓ Higher | 45.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% ✓ More | 23.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.8% ✓ More | 12.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Chesapeake's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Fayetteville's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Chesapeake leads 17 of 23 categories. Chesapeake wins 17 and Fayetteville wins 6. 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 Fayetteville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,500 vs $158,500 median home), income ($92,703 vs $53,424), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Chesapeake, VA and Fayetteville, NC are about 186 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.