Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Glendale, CA
VS
Virginia Beach, VA
🏆 Virginia Beach leads 16 of 23 categories
Glendale
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$81,219
Violent Crime Index
76
Population
194,512
Virginia Beach
Virginia
16
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.
Glendale, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 50°F
More college-educated — 43.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $992,000
Higher rents — median is $2,002/mo
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 $648k less ($343,700 vs $992,000)
68% less violent crime than Glendale
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.8 pts lower (4.3%)
Rent averages $434/mo less ($1,568 vs $2,002)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Glendale
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
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
$6,325
$87,544 vs $81,219/yr
Virginia Beach
Violent Crime
68% lower
92.3 vs 287.2 per 100k
Virginia Beach
Median Home Value
$648k less
$343,700 vs $992,000
Virginia Beach
Unemployment
3.8 pp lower
4.3% vs 8.1% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Glendale, 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 | $992,000⚠ High | $343,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,002⚠ High | $1,568⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $81,219 | $87,544 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.1%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.6 min | 23.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.4% ✓ Higher | 10.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 84 | 46 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 76 | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 97 | 78 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (99) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.6:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.8% ✓ Higher | 39.8% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% | 94.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Glendale Unified | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.0°F ✓ Warmer | 50.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.8°F | 87.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.7" ✓ Drier | 54.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 194,512 | 457,900 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.1 ✓ Older | 37.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.2% | 64.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | 22.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.4% ✓ More | 15.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Glendale'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 16 of 23 categories. Glendale wins 7 and Virginia Beach wins 16. 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 Glendale to Virginia Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($992,000 vs $343,700 median home), income ($81,219 vs $87,544), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Glendale, CA and Virginia Beach, VA are about 2,363 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.