Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Chesapeake, VA
VS
San Bernardino, CA
🏆 Chesapeake leads 17 of 23 categories
Chesapeake
Virginia
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$92,703 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
89 ✓ Safer
Population
249,377 ✓ Larger
San Bernardino
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$61,323
Violent Crime Index
236⚠ High
Population
221,041
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Chesapeake, VA
Pros
62% less violent crime than San Bernardino
Households earn $31,380 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 35.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
11% cheaper overall cost of living than San Bernardino
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,446/mo
San Bernardino, CA
Pros
Rent averages $127/mo less ($1,319 vs $1,446)
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 54°F
Cons
Median income trails Chesapeake by $31,380/yr
Violent crime (897.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2897.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Chesapeake
Key Differences at a Glance
Chesapeake
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Chesapeake
Median Income
$31,380
$92,703 vs $61,323/yr
Chesapeake
Violent Crime
62% lower
339.4 vs 897.1 per 100k
Chesapeake
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
5.0% vs 7.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Chesapeake, VA | San Bernardino, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $339,500⚠ High ✓ Lower | $347,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,446⚠ High | $1,319 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,703 ✓ Higher | $61,323 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min ✓ Shorter | 28.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% ✓ Higher | 5.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 87 ✓ Safer | 197⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 236⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.8% ✓ Higher | 12.8% |
| High School or Higher | 93.3% ✓ Higher | 72.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Chesapeake City Public Schools | San Bernardino City Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.3°F | 66.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.0" | 21.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 249,377 ✓ Larger | 221,041 |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 31.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.3% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% | 27.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.8% ✓ More | 9.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Chesapeake's cost of living index is 97.4 vs San Bernardino's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Chesapeake is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Chesapeake leads 17 of 23 categories. Chesapeake wins 17 and San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,500 vs $347,100 median home), income ($92,703 vs $61,323), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Chesapeake, VA and San Bernardino, CA are about 2,298 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.