Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Chesapeake, VA
VS
Tucson, AZ
🏆 Chesapeake leads 12 of 23 categories
Chesapeake
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$92,703 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
89 ✓ Safer
Population
249,377
Tucson
Arizona
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,049
Violent Crime Index
155⚠ High
Population
541,033 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Chesapeake, VA
Pros
Households earn $40,654 more per year on average
42% less violent crime than Tucson
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 35.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 93°F vs 100°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $339,500
Higher rents — median is $1,446/mo
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Tucson
Tucson, AZ
Pros
Homes cost $121k less ($218,200 vs $339,500)
Rent averages $455/mo less ($991 vs $1,446)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 54°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.3)
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Chesapeake
Cons
Median income trails Chesapeake by $40,654/yr
Violent crime (588.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3313.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 5.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Chesapeake
Median Income
$40,654
$92,703 vs $52,049/yr
Chesapeake
Violent Crime
42% lower
339.4 vs 588.8 per 100k
Chesapeake
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
5.0% vs 6.5% unemployment
Tucson
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 94.3 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Tucson
Median Home Value
$121k less
$218,200 vs $339,500
Tucson
Summer Heat
7.7°F warmer
July avg high 100.2°F vs 92.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Chesapeake, VA | Tucson, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 94.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $339,500⚠ High | $218,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,446⚠ High | $991 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,703 ✓ Higher | $52,049 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 22.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% | 10.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 87 ✓ Safer | 156⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 155⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 158⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.8% ✓ Higher | 29.4% |
| High School or Higher | 93.3% ✓ Higher | 86.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Chesapeake City Public Schools | Tucson Unified District (4403) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.3°F | 66.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F | 100.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.0" | 12.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.2" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 249,377 | 541,033 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.3% ✓ Higher | 50.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% ✓ More | 20.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.8% | 15.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Chesapeake's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Tucson's 94.3 (US average = 100).
Tucson is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Chesapeake leads 12 of 23 categories. Chesapeake wins 12 and Tucson wins 11. 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 Tucson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,500 vs $218,200 median home), income ($92,703 vs $52,049), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Chesapeake, VA and Tucson, AZ are about 1,984 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.