Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Cajon, CA
VS
Newport News, VA
🏆 Newport News leads 12 of 23 categories
El Cajon
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,128 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
114⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
105,721
Newport News
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,355
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
185,118 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Cajon, CA
Pros
41% less violent crime than Newport News
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 49°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $593,500
Higher rents — median is $1,686/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Newport News
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $360k less ($233,400 vs $593,500)
Rent averages $477/mo less ($1,209 vs $1,686)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (5.6%)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than El Cajon
More college-educated — 28.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
El Cajon
Median Income
$773
$64,128 vs $63,355/yr
El Cajon
Violent Crime
41% lower
434.4 vs 736.0 per 100k
Newport News
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Newport News
Median Home Value
$360k less
$233,400 vs $593,500
Newport News
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
5.6% vs 8.1% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Cajon, CA | Newport News, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $593,500⚠ High | $233,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,686⚠ High | $1,209 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,128 ✓ Higher | $63,355 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.1%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.8% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 97 ✓ Safer | 162⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High ✓ Safer | 194⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | B+ (105) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.8:1 | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.0% | 28.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 84.8% | 91.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cajon Valley Union | Newport News City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 49.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 86.1°F | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.5" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,721 | 185,118 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.6 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.7% | 47.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.6% ✓ More | 23.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.5% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Cajon's cost of living index is 111.5 vs Newport News's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Newport News is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Newport News leads 12 of 23 categories. El Cajon wins 11 and Newport News 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 El Cajon to Newport News or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($593,500 vs $233,400 median home), income ($64,128 vs $63,355), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Cajon, CA and Newport News, VA are about 2,292 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.