Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Denver, CO
VS
Virginia Beach, VA
🏆 Virginia Beach leads 17 of 23 categories
Denver
Colorado
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,853
Violent Crime Index
261⚠ High
Population
710,800 ✓ Larger
Virginia Beach
Virginia
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,544 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
24 ✓ Safer
Population
457,900
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Denver, CO
Pros
More college-educated — 54.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $540,400
Violent crime (993.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4761.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
91% less violent crime than Denver
Homes cost $197k less ($343,700 vs $540,400)
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Denver
Rent averages $97/mo less ($1,568 vs $1,665)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Virginia Beach
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Virginia Beach
Median Income
$1,691
$87,544 vs $85,853/yr
Virginia Beach
Violent Crime
91% lower
92.3 vs 993.0 per 100k
Virginia Beach
Median Home Value
$197k less
$343,700 vs $540,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Denver, CO | Virginia Beach, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $540,400⚠ High | $343,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,665⚠ High | $1,568⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,853 | $87,544 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.3 min | 23.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 20.9% ✓ Higher | 10.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 247⚠ High | 46 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 261⚠ High | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 227⚠ High | 78 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 39.8% |
| High School or Higher | 90.5% | 94.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | School District No. 1 in the county of Denver and State of C | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.5°F | 50.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.2°F ✓ Warmer | 87.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.4" ✓ Drier | 54.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.0" | 3.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 710,800 ✓ Larger | 457,900 |
| Median Age | 34.9 | 37.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% | 64.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | 22.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.0% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Denver's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Virginia Beach's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Virginia Beach is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Virginia Beach leads 17 of 23 categories. Denver wins 6 and Virginia Beach wins 17. 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 Denver to Virginia Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($540,400 vs $343,700 median home), income ($85,853 vs $87,544), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Denver, CO and Virginia Beach, VA are about 1,572 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.