Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fairfield, CA
VS
Portsmouth, VA
🏆 Fairfield leads 15 of 23 categories
Fairfield
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$98,857 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
131⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
119,420 ✓ Larger
Portsmouth
Virginia
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
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.
Fairfield, CA
Pros
Households earn $41,703 more per year on average
34% less violent crime than Portsmouth
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (5.5%)
More college-educated — 27.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 57°F vs 49°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $546,200
Higher rents — median is $2,047/mo
Violent crime (498.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Portsmouth
Portsmouth, VA
Pros
Homes cost $333k less ($213,300 vs $546,200)
Rent averages $822/mo less ($1,225 vs $2,047)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Fairfield
Smaller class sizes — 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fairfield by $41,703/yr
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
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 5.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fairfield
Median Income
$41,703
$98,857 vs $57,154/yr
Fairfield
Violent Crime
34% lower
498.0 vs 752.4 per 100k
Fairfield
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.6% unemployment
Portsmouth
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 109.2 (100 = US avg)
Portsmouth
Median Home Value
$333k less
$213,300 vs $546,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fairfield, CA | Portsmouth, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 109.2⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $546,200⚠ High | $213,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,047⚠ High | $1,225 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $98,857 ✓ Higher | $57,154 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 32.3 min⚠ High | 23.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer | 192⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 131⚠ High ✓ Safer | 198⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 80 ✓ Safer | 184⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (85) | B- (94) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.1:1 | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.8% ✓ Higher | 21.2% |
| High School or Higher | 87.0% | 89.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fairfield-Suisun Unified | Portsmouth City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 56.6°F ✓ Warmer | 48.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 88.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 24.5" ✓ Drier | 50.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 119,420 ✓ Larger | 97,384 |
| Median Age | 35.8 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.3% ✓ Higher | 56.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.7% ✓ More | 23.1% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fairfield's cost of living index is 109.2 vs Portsmouth's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Portsmouth is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fairfield leads 15 of 23 categories. Fairfield wins 15 and Portsmouth 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 Fairfield to Portsmouth or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($546,200 vs $213,300 median home), income ($98,857 vs $57,154), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fairfield, CA and Portsmouth, VA are about 2,478 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.