Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Hampton, VA
VS
Tuscaloosa, AL
🏆 Hampton leads 14 of 23 categories
Hampton
Virginia
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$64,430 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
65 ✓ Safer
Population
137,217 ✓ Larger
Tuscaloosa
Alabama
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,257
Violent Crime Index
146⚠ High
Population
105,797
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Hampton, VA
Pros
55% less violent crime than Tuscaloosa
Households earn $17,173 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (247.6 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Property crime (2882.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa, AL
Pros
Rent averages $275/mo less ($980 vs $1,255)
More college-educated — 38.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.0)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Hampton
Milder winters — January highs near 56°F vs 49°F
Cons
Median income trails Hampton by $17,173/yr
Violent crime (553.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2731.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Hampton
Median Income
$17,173
$64,430 vs $47,257/yr
Hampton
Violent Crime
55% lower
247.6 vs 553.4 per 100k
Tuscaloosa
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 90.0 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Tuscaloosa
Summer Heat
4.9°F warmer
July avg high 92.2°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Hampton, VA | Tuscaloosa, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 90.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $219,800 ✓ Lower | $228,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,255 | $980 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,430 ✓ Higher | $47,257 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.3 min | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 94 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 146⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 137⚠ High | 130⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B (102) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.7% | 38.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hampton City Public Schools | Tuscaloosa City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.0°F | 56.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 92.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" ✓ Drier | 58.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 137,217 ✓ Larger | 105,797 |
| Median Age | 36.5 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 45.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% ✓ More | 17.5% |
| Over 65 | 15.9% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hampton's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Tuscaloosa's 90.0 (US average = 100).
Tuscaloosa is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Hampton leads 14 of 23 categories. Hampton wins 14 and Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($219,800 vs $228,300 median home), income ($64,430 vs $47,257), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Hampton, VA and Tuscaloosa, AL are about 687 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.