Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Chesapeake, VA
VS
Orem, UT
🏆 Orem leads 12 of 22 categories
Chesapeake
Virginia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$92,703 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
89
Population
249,377 ✓ Larger
Orem
Utah
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$77,568
Violent Crime Index
46 ✓ Safer
Population
97,100
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Chesapeake, VA
Pros
Households earn $15,135 more per year on average
Homes cost $53k less ($339,500 vs $392,900)
Milder winters — January highs near 54°F vs 38°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,446/mo
Higher unemployment (5.0% vs 3.4%)
Orem, UT
Pros
49% less violent crime than Chesapeake
Violent crime is well below the national average (174.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (3.4%)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Rent averages $156/mo less ($1,290 vs $1,446)
More college-educated — 42.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Chesapeake by $15,135/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $392,900
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Chesapeake
Median Income
$15,135
$92,703 vs $77,568/yr
Chesapeake
Median Home Value
$53k less
$339,500 vs $392,900
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 97.4 on the COL index
Orem
Violent Crime
49% lower
174.5 vs 339.4 per 100k
Orem
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
3.4% vs 5.0% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Chesapeake, VA | Orem, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 97.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $339,500⚠ High ✓ Lower | $392,900⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,446⚠ High | $1,290 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,703 ✓ Higher | $77,568 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High | 3.4% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 19.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% | 13.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 87 | 53 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 | 46 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.8% | 42.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 93.3% | 93.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Chesapeake City Public Schools | Alpine District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.3°F ✓ Warmer | 37.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F | 92.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.0" | 17.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.2" ✓ Less | 44.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 249,377 ✓ Larger | 97,100 |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 26.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.3% ✓ Higher | 59.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% | 27.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.8% ✓ More | 10.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Chesapeake's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Orem's 97.1 (US average = 100).
Orem is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Orem leads 12 of 22 categories. Chesapeake wins 10 and Orem wins 12. 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 Orem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,500 vs $392,900 median home), income ($92,703 vs $77,568), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Chesapeake, VA and Orem, UT are about 1,918 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.