Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Hampton, VA
VS
New Orleans, LA
🏆 Hampton leads 12 of 22 categories
Hampton
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$64,430 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
65 ✓ Safer
Population
137,217
New Orleans
Louisiana
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,116
Violent Crime Index
380⚠ High
Population
380,408 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Hampton, VA
Pros
83% less violent crime than New Orleans
Homes cost $62k less ($219,800 vs $281,500)
Households earn $13,314 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (247.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (6.5%)
Cons
Property crime (2882.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 6% higher than New Orleans
New Orleans, LA
Pros
More college-educated — 40.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.1)
Milder winters — January highs near 61°F vs 49°F
Rent averages $93/mo less ($1,162 vs $1,255)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Hampton
Cons
Violent crime (1444.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Hampton by $13,314/yr
Property crime (4640.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.4% vs 6.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Hampton
Median Income
$13,314
$64,430 vs $51,116/yr
Hampton
Violent Crime
83% lower
247.6 vs 1444.1 per 100k
Hampton
Median Home Value
$62k less
$219,800 vs $281,500
Hampton
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
6.5% vs 8.4% unemployment
New Orleans
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 91.1 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
New Orleans
Summer Heat
3.3°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Hampton, VA | New Orleans, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 91.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $219,800 ✓ Lower | $281,500 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,255 | $1,162 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,430 ✓ Higher | $51,116 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.3 min ✓ Shorter | 23.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 11.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 94 ✓ Safer | 316⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 380⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 137⚠ High ✓ Safer | 221⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | A- (112) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.7% | 40.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 88.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hampton City Public Schools | Einstein Charter Middle Sch at Sarah Towles Reed |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.0°F | 61.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 137,217 | 380,408 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 37.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 49.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 15.9% | 15.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hampton's cost of living index is 97.4 vs New Orleans's 91.1 (US average = 100).
New Orleans is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Hampton leads 12 of 22 categories. Hampton wins 12 and New Orleans wins 10. 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 New Orleans or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($219,800 vs $281,500 median home), income ($64,430 vs $51,116), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Hampton, VA and New Orleans, LA are about 921 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.