Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Chesapeake, VA
VS
West Palm Beach, 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 ✓ Safer
Population
249,377 ✓ Larger
West Palm Beach
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,044
Violent Crime Index
152⚠ High
Population
117,588
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Chesapeake, VA
Pros
Households earn $28,659 more per year on average
41% less violent crime than West Palm Beach
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (5.0%)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than West Palm Beach
Rent averages $168/mo less ($1,446 vs $1,614)
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
West Palm Beach, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 54°F
Cons
Median income trails Chesapeake by $28,659/yr
Violent crime (575.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Chesapeake
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Key Differences at a Glance
Chesapeake
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Chesapeake
Median Income
$28,659
$92,703 vs $64,044/yr
Chesapeake
Violent Crime
41% lower
339.4 vs 575.8 per 100k
Chesapeake
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
5.0% vs 6.2% unemployment
West Palm Beach
Median Home Value
$15k less
$324,800 vs $339,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Chesapeake, VA | West Palm Beach, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $339,500⚠ High | $324,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,446⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,614⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,703 ✓ Higher | $64,044 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 23.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% | 11.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 87 ✓ Safer | 132⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 152⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 102⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.8% | 37.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 93.3% ✓ Higher | 86.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Chesapeake City Public Schools | PALM BEACH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.3°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.5°F ✓ Warmer | 90.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.0" ✓ Drier | 61.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 249,377 ✓ Larger | 117,588 |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 40.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.3% ✓ Higher | 49.8% |
| Under 18 | 24.1% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.8% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Chesapeake's cost of living index is 97.4 vs West Palm Beach's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Chesapeake is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Chesapeake leads 15 of 23 categories. Chesapeake wins 15 and West Palm Beach 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 West Palm Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,500 vs $324,800 median home), income ($92,703 vs $64,044), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Chesapeake, VA and West Palm Beach, FL are about 722 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.