Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Hampton, VA
VS
Palm Coast, FL
🏆 Hampton leads 11 of 20 categories
Hampton
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$64,430
Violent Crime Index
65
Population
137,217 ✓ Larger
Palm Coast
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$68,824 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
91,082
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Hampton, VA
Pros
Rent averages $366/mo less ($1,255 vs $1,621)
Homes cost $64k less ($219,800 vs $283,300)
Violent crime is well below the national average (247.6 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Palm Coast
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Property crime (2882.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 4.1%)
Median income trails Palm Coast by $4,394/yr
Palm Coast, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (4.1%)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 49°F
Households earn $4,394 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,621/mo
Longer commutes — 28.0 min average each way
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Hampton
Key Differences at a Glance
Hampton
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 104.5 (100 = US avg)
Hampton
Median Home Value
$64k less
$219,800 vs $283,300
Palm Coast
Median Income
$4,394
$68,824 vs $64,430/yr
Palm Coast
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
4.1% vs 6.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Hampton, VA | Palm Coast, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper | 104.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $219,800 ✓ Lower | $283,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,255 ✓ Lower | $1,621⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,430 | $68,824 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.3 min ✓ Shorter | 28.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 13.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 94 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 137⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.7% ✓ Higher | 26.4% |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 91.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hampton City Public Schools | FLAGLER |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.0°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 87.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 137,217 ✓ Larger | 91,082 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 50.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% | 77.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.3% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 15.9% | 29.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hampton's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Palm Coast's 104.5 (US average = 100).
Hampton is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Hampton leads 11 of 20 categories. Hampton wins 11 and Palm Coast 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 Palm Coast or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($219,800 vs $283,300 median home), income ($64,430 vs $68,824), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Hampton, VA and Palm Coast, FL are about 592 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.