Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Chesapeake, VA
VS
Virginia Beach, VA
🏆 Virginia Beach 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
Virginia Beach
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$87,544
Violent Crime Index
24 ✓ Safer
Population
457,900 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Chesapeake, VA
Pros
Rent averages $122/mo less ($1,446 vs $1,568)
Households earn $5,159 more per year on average
Cons
Higher unemployment (5.0% vs 4.3%)
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
73% less violent crime than Chesapeake
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.3%)
More college-educated — 39.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 93°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,568/mo
Median income trails Chesapeake by $5,159/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Chesapeake
Median Income
$5,159
$92,703 vs $87,544/yr
Chesapeake
Summer Heat
5.1°F warmer
July avg high 92.5°F vs 87.4°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 97.4 on the COL index
Virginia Beach
Violent Crime
73% lower
92.3 vs 339.4 per 100k
Virginia Beach
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.0% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Chesapeake, VA | Virginia Beach, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 97.4 |
| Median Home Value | $339,500⚠ High ✓ Lower | $343,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,446⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,568⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,703 ✓ Higher | $87,544 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 23.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% | 10.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 87 | 46 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 | 78 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.8% | 39.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 93.3% | 94.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Chesapeake City Public Schools | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.3°F ✓ Warmer | 50.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer | 87.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.0" ✓ Drier | 54.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.2" | 3.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 249,377 | 457,900 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 37.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.3% ✓ Higher | 64.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% ✓ More | 22.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.8% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Chesapeake's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Virginia Beach's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Virginia Beach leads 12 of 22 categories. Chesapeake wins 10 and Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,500 vs $343,700 median home), income ($92,703 vs $87,544), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Chesapeake, VA and Virginia Beach, VA are about 17 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.