Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbus, GA
VS
Newport News, VA
🏆 Columbus leads 15 of 23 categories
Columbus
Georgia
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,561
Violent Crime Index
159⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
204,572 ✓ Larger
Newport News
Virginia
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$63,355 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
185,118
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Columbus, GA
Pros
Homes cost $65k less ($168,400 vs $233,400)
18% less violent crime than Newport News
Rent averages $171/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,209)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Newport News
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.8)
Cons
Violent crime (603.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Newport News by $8,794/yr
Higher unemployment (7.3% vs 5.6%)
Newport News, VA
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (5.6%)
Households earn $8,794 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Columbus
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbus
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 88.8 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Columbus
Violent Crime
18% lower
603.8 vs 736.0 per 100k
Columbus
Median Home Value
$65k less
$168,400 vs $233,400
Columbus
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 91.8°F vs 88.2°F
Newport News
Median Income
$8,794
$63,355 vs $54,561/yr
Newport News
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
5.6% vs 7.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbus, GA | Newport News, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 88.8 ✓ Cheaper | 97.4 |
| Median Home Value | $168,400 ✓ Lower | $233,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,038 ✓ Lower | $1,209 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,561 | $63,355 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.3%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.2 min ✓ Shorter | 23.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 7.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High ✓ Safer | 162⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High ✓ Safer | 194⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B+ (105) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.0:1 | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.4% | 28.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.5% | 91.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Muscogee County | Newport News City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.5°F ✓ Warmer | 49.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer | 88.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.8" | 51.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5" ✓ Less | 2.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 204,572 ✓ Larger | 185,118 |
| Median Age | 34.9 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.5% ✓ Higher | 47.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% ✓ More | 23.2% |
| Over 65 | 14.1% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbus's cost of living index is 88.8 vs Newport News's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Columbus is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Columbus leads 15 of 23 categories. Columbus wins 15 and Newport News 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 Columbus to Newport News or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($168,400 vs $233,400 median home), income ($54,561 vs $63,355), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbus, GA and Newport News, VA are about 569 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.