Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Chesapeake, VA
VS
Riverview, FL
🏆 Chesapeake leads 15 of 23 categories
Chesapeake
Virginia
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$92,703 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
89
Population
249,377 ✓ Larger
Riverview
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$87,383
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
102,467
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Chesapeake, VA
Pros
Rent averages $311/mo less ($1,446 vs $1,757)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 35.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Riverview
Households earn $5,320 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $339,500
Riverview, FL
Pros
61% less violent crime than Chesapeake
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $47k less ($292,700 vs $339,500)
Milder winters — January highs near 72°F vs 54°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,757/mo
Longer commutes — 34.5 min average each way
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Chesapeake
Median income trails Chesapeake by $5,320/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Chesapeake
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Chesapeake
Median Income
$5,320
$92,703 vs $87,383/yr
Chesapeake
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.6% unemployment
Riverview
Violent Crime
61% lower
131.1 vs 339.4 per 100k
Riverview
Median Home Value
$47k less
$292,700 vs $339,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Chesapeake, VA | Riverview, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $339,500⚠ High | $292,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,446⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,757⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,703 ✓ Higher | $87,383 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min ✓ Shorter | 34.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% | 17.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 87 | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 | 35 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 | 21 ✓ 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 | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.8% ✓ Higher | 32.2% |
| High School or Higher | 93.3% ✓ Higher | 91.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Chesapeake City Public Schools | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.3°F | 71.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer | 90.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.0" ✓ Drier | 54.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 249,377 ✓ Larger | 102,467 |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 36.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.3% ✓ Higher | 72.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% | 25.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.8% ✓ More | 10.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Chesapeake's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Riverview's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Chesapeake is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Chesapeake leads 15 of 23 categories. Chesapeake wins 15 and Riverview wins 8. 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 Riverview or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,500 vs $292,700 median home), income ($92,703 vs $87,383), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Chesapeake, VA and Riverview, FL are about 705 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.