Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Chesapeake, VA
VS
Newport News, VA
🏆 Chesapeake leads 16 of 22 categories
Chesapeake
Virginia
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$92,703 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
89 ✓ Safer
Population
249,377 ✓ Larger
Newport News
Virginia
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$63,355
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
185,118
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Chesapeake, VA
Pros
54% less violent crime than Newport News
Households earn $29,348 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 35.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 54°F vs 49°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $339,500
Higher rents — median is $1,446/mo
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $106k less ($233,400 vs $339,500)
Rent averages $237/mo less ($1,209 vs $1,446)
Cons
Median income trails Chesapeake by $29,348/yr
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Chesapeake
Median Income
$29,348
$92,703 vs $63,355/yr
Chesapeake
Violent Crime
54% lower
339.4 vs 736.0 per 100k
Chesapeake
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.6% unemployment
Chesapeake
Summer Heat
4.3°F warmer
July avg high 92.5°F vs 88.2°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 97.4 on the COL index
Newport News
Median Home Value
$106k less
$233,400 vs $339,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Chesapeake, VA | Newport News, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 97.4 |
| Median Home Value | $339,500⚠ High | $233,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,446⚠ High | $1,209 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,703 ✓ Higher | $63,355 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 87 ✓ Safer | 162⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 194⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B+ (105) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.8% ✓ Higher | 28.7% |
| High School or Higher | 93.3% ✓ Higher | 91.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Chesapeake City Public Schools | Newport News City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.3°F ✓ Warmer | 49.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer | 88.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.0" | 51.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.2" | 2.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 249,377 ✓ Larger | 185,118 |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.3% ✓ Higher | 47.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% ✓ More | 23.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.8% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Chesapeake's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Newport News's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Chesapeake leads 16 of 22 categories. Chesapeake wins 16 and Newport News 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 Newport News or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,500 vs $233,400 median home), income ($92,703 vs $63,355), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Chesapeake, VA and Newport News, VA are about 30 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.