Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clarksville, TN
VS
Portsmouth, VA
🏆 Clarksville leads 15 of 22 categories
Clarksville
Tennessee
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,688 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
108⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
167,882 ✓ Larger
Portsmouth
Virginia
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$57,154
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High
Population
97,384
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clarksville, TN
Pros
46% less violent crime than Portsmouth
More college-educated — 28.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $5,534 more per year on average
Rent averages $106/mo less ($1,119 vs $1,225)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.3)
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Portsmouth
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Portsmouth, VA
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Violent crime (752.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3860.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Clarksville by $5,534/yr
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Clarksville
Key Differences at a Glance
Clarksville
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 94.3 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Clarksville
Median Income
$5,534
$62,688 vs $57,154/yr
Clarksville
Violent Crime
46% lower
410.0 vs 752.4 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clarksville, TN | Portsmouth, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.3 ✓ Cheaper | 97.4 |
| Median Home Value | $213,200 ✓ Lower | $213,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,119 ✓ Lower | $1,225 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $62,688 ✓ Higher | $57,154 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.7 min | 23.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.1% | 6.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 96 ✓ Safer | 192⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer | 198⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 ✓ Safer | 184⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 13.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.9% ✓ Higher | 21.2% |
| High School or Higher | 94.3% ✓ Higher | 89.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Montgomery County | Portsmouth City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.8°F | 48.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.9°F ✓ Warmer | 88.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.5" | 50.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5" ✓ Less | 3.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 167,882 ✓ Larger | 97,384 |
| Median Age | 30.1 | 35.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.0% | 56.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 26.9% ✓ More | 23.1% |
| Over 65 | 8.8% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clarksville's cost of living index is 94.3 vs Portsmouth's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Clarksville is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Clarksville leads 15 of 22 categories. Clarksville wins 15 and Portsmouth wins 7. 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 Clarksville to Portsmouth or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,200 vs $213,300 median home), income ($62,688 vs $57,154), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clarksville, TN and Portsmouth, VA are about 609 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.