Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Hampton, VA
VS
Norfolk, VA
🏆 Hampton leads 13 of 22 categories
Hampton
Virginia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$64,430 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
65 ✓ Safer
Population
137,217
Norfolk
Virginia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$60,998
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High
Population
236,973 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Hampton, VA
Pros
47% less violent crime than Norfolk
Violent crime is well below the national average (247.6 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $34k less ($219,800 vs $254,200)
Households earn $3,432 more per year on average
Cons
Property crime (2882.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Norfolk, VA
Pros
More college-educated — 32.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (469.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3772.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Hampton by $3,432/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Hampton
Median Income
$3,432
$64,430 vs $60,998/yr
Hampton
Violent Crime
47% lower
247.6 vs 469.5 per 100k
Hampton
Median Home Value
$34k less
$219,800 vs $254,200
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 97.4 on the COL index
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Hampton, VA | Norfolk, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 97.4 |
| Median Home Value | $219,800 ✓ Lower | $254,200 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,255 | $1,188 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,430 ✓ Higher | $60,998 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.3 min ✓ Shorter | 22.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 7.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 94 ✓ Safer | 146⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 137⚠ High ✓ Safer | 180⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B (103) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 | 12.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.7% | 32.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 89.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hampton City Public Schools | Norfolk City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.0°F | 50.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 88.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" | 45.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" ✓ Less | 3.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 137,217 | 236,973 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 32.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 44.8% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% ✓ More | 20.3% |
| Over 65 | 15.9% ✓ More | 12.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hampton's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Norfolk's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Hampton leads 13 of 22 categories. Hampton wins 13 and Norfolk wins 9. 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 Norfolk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($219,800 vs $254,200 median home), income ($64,430 vs $60,998), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Hampton, VA and Norfolk, VA are about 9 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.