Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Hampton, VA
VS
Hartford, CT
🏆 Hampton leads 15 of 23 categories
Hampton
Virginia
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$64,430 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
65 ✓ Safer
Population
137,217 ✓ Larger
Hartford
Connecticut
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$41,841
Violent Crime Index
136⚠ High
Population
121,057
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Hampton, VA
Pros
Households earn $22,589 more per year on average
52% less violent crime than Hartford
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.1 pts lower (6.5%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (247.6 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 27.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 37°F
Cons
Property crime (2882.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Hartford, CT
Pros
Homes cost $21k less ($198,900 vs $219,800)
Rent averages $101/mo less ($1,154 vs $1,255)
Cons
Median income trails Hampton by $22,589/yr
Violent crime (515.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2845.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (10.6% vs 6.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Hampton
Median Income
$22,589
$64,430 vs $41,841/yr
Hampton
Violent Crime
52% lower
247.6 vs 515.8 per 100k
Hampton
Unemployment
4.1 pp lower
6.5% vs 10.6% unemployment
Hartford
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 96.1 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Hartford
Median Home Value
$21k less
$198,900 vs $219,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Hampton, VA | Hartford, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 96.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $219,800 | $198,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,255 | $1,154 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,430 ✓ Higher | $41,841 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.3 min | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 7.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 94 ✓ Safer | 136⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 136⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 137⚠ High | 136⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | C (80) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.7% ✓ Higher | 17.5% |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 74.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hampton City Public Schools | Hartford School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.0°F ✓ Warmer | 36.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F ✓ Warmer | 84.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" | 42.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" ✓ Less | 51.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 137,217 ✓ Larger | 121,057 |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 25.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% | 23.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.9% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hampton's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Hartford's 96.1 (US average = 100).
Hartford is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Hampton leads 15 of 23 categories. Hampton wins 15 and Hartford 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 Hampton to Hartford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($219,800 vs $198,900 median home), income ($64,430 vs $41,841), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Hampton, VA and Hartford, CT are about 379 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.