Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Grand Prairie, TX
VS
Virginia Beach, VA
🏆 Virginia Beach leads 15 of 23 categories
Grand Prairie
Texas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,626
Violent Crime Index
58
Population
197,279
Virginia Beach
Virginia
15
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.
Grand Prairie, TX
Pros
Homes cost $101k less ($242,900 vs $343,700)
Violent crime is well below the national average (221.2 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $187/mo less ($1,381 vs $1,568)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 50°F
Cons
Median income trails Virginia Beach by $10,918/yr
Higher unemployment (5.0% vs 4.3%)
Longer commutes — 28.1 min average each way
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
58% less violent crime than Grand Prairie
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.3%)
Households earn $10,918 more per year on average
More college-educated — 39.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $343,700
Higher rents — median is $1,568/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Grand Prairie
Median Home Value
$101k less
$242,900 vs $343,700
Grand Prairie
Summer Heat
8.1°F warmer
July avg high 95.5°F vs 87.4°F
Virginia Beach
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Virginia Beach
Median Income
$10,918
$87,544 vs $76,626/yr
Virginia Beach
Violent Crime
58% lower
92.3 vs 221.2 per 100k
Virginia Beach
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.0% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Grand Prairie, TX | Virginia Beach, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $242,900 ✓ Lower | $343,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,381⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,568⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,626 | $87,544 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.1 min⚠ High | 23.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.1% | 10.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 65 | 46 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 76 ✓ Safer | 78 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.9% | 39.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.3% | 94.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | GRAND PRAIRIE ISD | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.3°F ✓ Warmer | 50.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.5°F ✓ Warmer | 87.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" ✓ Drier | 54.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.8" ✓ Less | 3.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,279 | 457,900 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 37.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.2% | 64.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 27.6% ✓ More | 22.0% |
| Over 65 | 10.3% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Grand Prairie's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Virginia Beach's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Virginia Beach is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Virginia Beach leads 15 of 23 categories. Grand Prairie wins 8 and Virginia Beach wins 15. 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 Grand Prairie to Virginia Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($242,900 vs $343,700 median home), income ($76,626 vs $87,544), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Grand Prairie, TX and Virginia Beach, VA are about 1,222 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.