Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Hampton, VA
VS
Wilmington, NC
🏆 Wilmington leads 13 of 23 categories
Hampton
Virginia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$64,430 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
65 ✓ Safer
Population
137,217 ✓ Larger
Wilmington
North Carolina
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,908
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
116,933
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Hampton, VA
Pros
49% less violent crime than Wilmington
Homes cost $99k less ($219,800 vs $318,600)
Violent crime is well below the national average (247.6 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $5,522 more per year on average
Cons
Property crime (2882.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 4.9%)
Wilmington, NC
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (4.9%)
More college-educated — 43.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 57°F vs 49°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $318,600
Violent crime (482.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3514.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Hampton by $5,522/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Hampton
Median Income
$5,522
$64,430 vs $58,908/yr
Hampton
Violent Crime
49% lower
247.6 vs 482.8 per 100k
Hampton
Median Home Value
$99k less
$219,800 vs $318,600
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 97.4 on the COL index
Wilmington
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
4.9% vs 6.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Hampton, VA | Wilmington, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 97.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $219,800 ✓ Lower | $318,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,255 | $1,213 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,430 ✓ Higher | $58,908 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High | 4.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.3 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 14.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 94 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 127⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 137⚠ High ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.7% | 43.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% | 93.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hampton City Public Schools | New Hanover County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.0°F | 57.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 90.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" | 0.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 137,217 ✓ Larger | 116,933 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 15.9% | 17.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hampton's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Wilmington's 97.1 (US average = 100).
Wilmington is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Wilmington leads 13 of 23 categories. Hampton wins 10 and Wilmington wins 13. 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 Wilmington or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($219,800 vs $318,600 median home), income ($64,430 vs $58,908), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Hampton, VA and Wilmington, NC are about 215 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.