Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Hillsboro, OR
VS
Newport News, VA
🏆 Newport News leads 12 of 22 categories
Hillsboro
Oregon
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$98,891 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
84 ✓ Safer
Population
106,612
Newport News
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,355
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
185,118 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Hillsboro, OR
Pros
Households earn $35,536 more per year on average
57% less violent crime than Newport News
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.6%)
More college-educated — 41.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 88°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $452,300
Higher rents — median is $1,797/mo
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Newport News
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $219k less ($233,400 vs $452,300)
Rent averages $588/mo less ($1,209 vs $1,797)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Hillsboro
Smaller class sizes — 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Hillsboro by $35,536/yr
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Hillsboro
Median Income
$35,536
$98,891 vs $63,355/yr
Hillsboro
Violent Crime
57% lower
317.7 vs 736.0 per 100k
Hillsboro
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.6% unemployment
Newport News
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 106.6 (100 = US avg)
Newport News
Median Home Value
$219k less
$233,400 vs $452,300
Newport News
Summer Heat
6.1°F warmer
July avg high 88.2°F vs 82.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Hillsboro, OR | Newport News, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.6⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $452,300⚠ High | $233,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,797⚠ High | $1,209 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $98,891 ✓ Higher | $63,355 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.1 min ✓ Shorter | 23.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 17.4% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 96 ✓ Safer | 162⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 194⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 116⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B+ (105) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 41.7% ✓ Higher | 28.7% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% | 91.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hillsboro SD 1J | Newport News City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.3°F | 49.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.1°F | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.9" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" | 2.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 106,612 | 185,118 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.5 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.5% ✓ Higher | 47.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.2% | 13.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hillsboro's cost of living index is 106.6 vs Newport News's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Newport News is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Newport News leads 12 of 22 categories. Hillsboro wins 10 and Newport News 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 Hillsboro to Newport News or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($452,300 vs $233,400 median home), income ($98,891 vs $63,355), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Hillsboro, OR and Newport News, VA are about 2,443 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.