Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fishers, IN
VS
Suffolk, VA
🏆 Fishers leads 15 of 23 categories
Fishers
Indiana
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$126,548 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
99,041 ✓ Larger
Suffolk
Virginia
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$87,758
Violent Crime Index
98
Population
94,856
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fishers, IN
Pros
80% less violent crime than Suffolk
Households earn $38,790 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.8 pts lower (2.5%)
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (72.9 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $339,000
Higher rents — median is $1,478/mo
Suffolk, VA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 35°F
Homes cost $25k less ($314,400 vs $339,000)
Rent averages $102/mo less ($1,376 vs $1,478)
Smaller class sizes — 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fishers by $38,790/yr
Higher unemployment (6.3% vs 2.5%)
Longer commutes — 29.6 min average each way
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Fishers
Key Differences at a Glance
Fishers
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 94.6 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Fishers
Median Income
$38,790
$126,548 vs $87,758/yr
Fishers
Violent Crime
80% lower
72.9 vs 371.0 per 100k
Fishers
Unemployment
3.8 pp lower
2.5% vs 6.3% unemployment
Suffolk
Median Home Value
$25k less
$314,400 vs $339,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fishers, IN | Suffolk, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 ✓ Cheaper | 97.4 |
| Median Home Value | $339,000⚠ High | $314,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,478⚠ High | $1,376⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $126,548 ✓ Higher | $87,758 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.5% ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min ✓ Shorter | 29.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 18.8% ✓ Higher | 7.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 24 ✓ Safer | 89 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 75 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.5:1 | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 32.1% |
| High School or Higher | 98.0% ✓ Higher | 91.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hamilton Southeastern Schools | Suffolk City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F | 49.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F | 86.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9" ✓ Drier | 51.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 26.7" | 5.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,041 ✓ Larger | 94,856 |
| Median Age | 37.1 | 38.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.1% ✓ Higher | 70.4% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 23.6% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 14.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fishers's cost of living index is 94.6 vs Suffolk's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Fishers is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fishers leads 15 of 23 categories. Fishers wins 15 and Suffolk 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 Fishers to Suffolk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,000 vs $314,400 median home), income ($126,548 vs $87,758), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fishers, IN and Suffolk, VA are about 554 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.