Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Chesapeake, VA
VS
San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA
🏆 Chesapeake leads 13 of 23 categories
Chesapeake
Virginia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$92,703
Violent Crime Index
89 ✓ Safer
Population
249,377 ✓ Larger
San Buenaventura (Ventura)
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$96,036 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
93
Population
110,358
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Chesapeake, VA
Pros
Homes cost $375k less ($339,500 vs $714,000)
Rent averages $496/mo less ($1,446 vs $1,942)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than San Buenaventura (Ventura)
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Buenaventura (Ventura) by $3,333/yr
San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA
Pros
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 93°F
Milder winters — January highs near 66°F vs 54°F
More college-educated — 40.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $3,333 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $714,000
Higher rents — median is $1,942/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Chesapeake
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Chesapeake
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Chesapeake
Violent Crime
4% lower
339.4 vs 354.5 per 100k
Chesapeake
Median Home Value
$375k less
$339,500 vs $714,000
Chesapeake
Summer Heat
19.6°F warmer
July avg high 92.5°F vs 72.9°F
San Buenaventura (Ventura)
Median Income
$3,333
$96,036 vs $92,703/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Chesapeake, VA | San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $339,500⚠ High ✓ Lower | $714,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,446⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,942⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,703 | $96,036 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High | 4.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 24.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% | 13.2% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 87 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 104⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 24.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.8% | 40.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 93.3% ✓ Higher | 91.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Chesapeake City Public Schools | Ventura Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.3°F | 65.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer | 72.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.0" | 16.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 249,377 ✓ Larger | 110,358 |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 41.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.3% ✓ Higher | 56.5% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% ✓ More | 20.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.8% | 18.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Chesapeake's cost of living index is 97.4 vs San Buenaventura (Ventura)'s 113.5 (US average = 100).
Chesapeake is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Chesapeake leads 13 of 23 categories. Chesapeake wins 13 and San Buenaventura (Ventura) wins 10. 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 Buenaventura (Ventura) or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,500 vs $714,000 median home), income ($92,703 vs $96,036), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Chesapeake, VA and San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA are about 2,402 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
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