Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Kirkland, WA
VS
Suffolk, VA
🏆 Suffolk leads 12 of 22 categories
Kirkland
Washington
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$135,608 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
16 ✓ Safer
Population
92,015
Suffolk
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,758
Violent Crime Index
98
Population
94,856 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Kirkland, WA
Pros
84% less violent crime than Suffolk
Households earn $47,850 more per year on average
More college-educated — 62.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (60.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (4.7%)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $937,700
Higher rents — median is $2,250/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Suffolk
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Suffolk, VA
Pros
Homes cost $623k less ($314,400 vs $937,700)
Rent averages $874/mo less ($1,376 vs $2,250)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Kirkland
Cons
Median income trails Kirkland by $47,850/yr
Higher unemployment (6.3% vs 4.7%)
Longer commutes — 29.6 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Kirkland
Median Income
$47,850
$135,608 vs $87,758/yr
Kirkland
Violent Crime
84% lower
60.6 vs 371.0 per 100k
Kirkland
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
4.7% vs 6.3% unemployment
Suffolk
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Suffolk
Median Home Value
$623k less
$314,400 vs $937,700
Suffolk
Summer Heat
10.3°F warmer
July avg high 86.8°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Kirkland, WA | Suffolk, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $937,700⚠ High | $314,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,250⚠ High | $1,376⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $135,608 ✓ Higher | $87,758 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.5 min ✓ Shorter | 29.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 24.9% ✓ Higher | 7.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 89 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 16 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 75 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B (99) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 14.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 62.9% ✓ Higher | 32.1% |
| High School or Higher | 96.6% ✓ Higher | 91.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Lake Washington Institute of Technology | Suffolk City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 49.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 86.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.8" ✓ Drier | 51.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 5.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,015 | 94,856 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.0 | 38.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.1% | 70.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 23.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.1% | 14.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Kirkland's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Suffolk's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Suffolk is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Suffolk leads 12 of 22 categories. Kirkland wins 10 and Suffolk 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 Kirkland to Suffolk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($937,700 vs $314,400 median home), income ($135,608 vs $87,758), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Kirkland, WA and Suffolk, VA are about 2,414 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.