Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Hampton, VA
VS
Roanoke, VA
🏆 Roanoke leads 12 of 23 categories
Hampton
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$64,430 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
65 ✓ Safer
Population
137,217 ✓ Larger
Roanoke
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,523
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
99,213
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Hampton, VA
Pros
60% less violent crime than Roanoke
Households earn $12,907 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (247.6 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Property crime (2882.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Roanoke
Roanoke, VA
Pros
Rent averages $338/mo less ($917 vs $1,255)
Homes cost $58k less ($162,000 vs $219,800)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.9)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Hampton
Smaller class sizes — 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (620.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Hampton by $12,907/yr
Property crime (4055.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Hampton
Median Income
$12,907
$64,430 vs $51,523/yr
Hampton
Violent Crime
60% lower
247.6 vs 620.4 per 100k
Roanoke
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 90.9 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Roanoke
Median Home Value
$58k less
$162,000 vs $219,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Hampton, VA | Roanoke, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 90.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $219,800 | $162,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,255 | $917 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,430 ✓ Higher | $51,523 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.3 min | 20.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 9.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 94 ✓ Safer | 175⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 137⚠ High ✓ Safer | 193⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 | 12.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.7% | 28.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 89.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hampton City Public Schools | Roanoke City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.0°F ✓ Warmer | 47.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 88.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" | 42.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" ✓ Less | 14.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 137,217 ✓ Larger | 99,213 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 38.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 52.1% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% | 22.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.9% | 17.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hampton's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Roanoke's 90.9 (US average = 100).
Roanoke is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Roanoke leads 12 of 23 categories. Hampton wins 11 and Roanoke wins 12. 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 Roanoke or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($219,800 vs $162,000 median home), income ($64,430 vs $51,523), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Hampton, VA and Roanoke, VA are about 202 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.