Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lakewood, CO
VS
Newport News, VA
🏆 Newport News leads 13 of 22 categories
Lakewood
Colorado
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,786 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
207⚠ High
Population
156,149
Newport News
Virginia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,355
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
185,118 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lakewood, CO
Pros
Households earn $19,431 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (4.4%)
More college-educated — 44.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $494,100
Higher rents — median is $1,665/mo
Violent crime (787.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5093.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $261k less ($233,400 vs $494,100)
Rent averages $456/mo less ($1,209 vs $1,665)
7% less violent crime than Lakewood
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Lakewood
Smaller class sizes — 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Lakewood by $19,431/yr
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Lakewood
Median Income
$19,431
$82,786 vs $63,355/yr
Lakewood
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.6% unemployment
Newport News
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Newport News
Violent Crime
7% lower
736.0 vs 787.2 per 100k
Newport News
Median Home Value
$261k less
$233,400 vs $494,100
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lakewood, CO | Newport News, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $494,100⚠ High | $233,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,665⚠ High | $1,209 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,786 ✓ Higher | $63,355 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.0 min | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.9% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 221⚠ High | 162⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 207⚠ High | 194⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 243⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) | B+ (105) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.4% ✓ Higher | 28.7% |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% ✓ Higher | 91.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jefferson County School District No. R-1 | Newport News City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 49.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.9°F | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.8" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 58.0" | 2.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 156,149 | 185,118 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.0% ✓ Higher | 47.6% |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.4% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lakewood's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Newport News's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Newport News is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Newport News leads 13 of 22 categories. Lakewood wins 9 and Newport News 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 Lakewood to Newport News or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($494,100 vs $233,400 median home), income ($82,786 vs $63,355), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lakewood, CO and Newport News, VA are about 1,553 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.