Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Kansas City, KS
VS
Virginia Beach, VA
🏆 Virginia Beach leads 16 of 23 categories
Kansas City
Kansas
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,120
Violent Crime Index
276⚠ High
Population
155,438
Virginia Beach
Virginia
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$87,544 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
24 ✓ Safer
Population
457,900 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Kansas City, KS
Pros
Homes cost $210k less ($133,800 vs $343,700)
Rent averages $524/mo less ($1,044 vs $1,568)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Virginia Beach
Cons
Median income trails Virginia Beach by $31,424/yr
Violent crime (1047.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3606.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.0% vs 4.3%)
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
91% less violent crime than Kansas City
Households earn $31,424 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (4.3%)
More college-educated — 39.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 50°F vs 40°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $343,700
Higher rents — median is $1,568/mo
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Kansas City
Key Differences at a Glance
Kansas City
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Kansas City
Median Home Value
$210k less
$133,800 vs $343,700
Virginia Beach
Median Income
$31,424
$87,544 vs $56,120/yr
Virginia Beach
Violent Crime
91% lower
92.3 vs 1047.2 per 100k
Virginia Beach
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
4.3% vs 6.0% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Kansas City, KS | Virginia Beach, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 97.4 |
| Median Home Value | $133,800 ✓ Lower | $343,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,044 ✓ Lower | $1,568⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,120 | $87,544 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.7 min ✓ Shorter | 23.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.4% | 10.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 234⚠ High | 46 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 276⚠ High | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 172⚠ High | 78 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (81) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.4:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 19.7% | 39.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 80.7% | 94.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Kansas City | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.9°F | 50.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.2°F ✓ Warmer | 87.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.1" ✓ Drier | 54.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 11.0" | 3.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 155,438 | 457,900 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.1 | 37.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.5% | 64.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 27.2% ✓ More | 22.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Kansas City's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Virginia Beach's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Kansas City is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Virginia Beach leads 16 of 23 categories. Kansas City wins 7 and Virginia Beach wins 16. 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 Kansas City to Virginia Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($133,800 vs $343,700 median home), income ($56,120 vs $87,544), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Kansas City, KS and Virginia Beach, VA are about 1,030 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.