Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Monte, CA
VS
Virginia Beach, VA
🏆 Virginia Beach leads 18 of 23 categories
El Monte
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
108,682
Virginia Beach
Virginia
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,544 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
24 ✓ Safer
Population
457,900 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Monte, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 50°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $597,200
Median income trails Virginia Beach by $27,615/yr
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Virginia Beach
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
Homes cost $254k less ($343,700 vs $597,200)
78% less violent crime than El Monte
Households earn $27,615 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (4.3%)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than El Monte
More college-educated — 39.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Virginia Beach
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Virginia Beach
Median Income
$27,615
$87,544 vs $59,929/yr
Virginia Beach
Violent Crime
78% lower
92.3 vs 423.2 per 100k
Virginia Beach
Median Home Value
$254k less
$343,700 vs $597,200
Virginia Beach
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
4.3% vs 7.0% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Monte, CA | Virginia Beach, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $597,200⚠ High | $343,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,605⚠ High | $1,568⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,929 | $87,544 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.3 min⚠ High | 23.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 10.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 106⚠ High | 46 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 98 | 78 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.7% | 39.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.9% | 94.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mountain View Elementary | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.6°F ✓ Warmer | 50.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 87.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7" ✓ Drier | 54.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,682 | 457,900 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 37.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.6% | 64.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% ✓ More | 22.0% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Monte's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Virginia Beach's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Virginia Beach is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Virginia Beach leads 18 of 23 categories. El Monte wins 5 and Virginia Beach wins 18. 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 Monte to Virginia Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,200 vs $343,700 median home), income ($59,929 vs $87,544), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Monte, CA and Virginia Beach, VA are about 2,353 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.