Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Long Beach, CA
VS
Newport News, VA
🏆 Newport News leads 14 of 23 categories
Long Beach
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,995 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
462,293 ✓ Larger
Newport News
Virginia
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,355
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
185,118
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Long Beach, CA
Pros
8% less violent crime than Newport News
Households earn $15,640 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 49°F
More college-educated — 33.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 88°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $709,700
Higher rents — median is $1,698/mo
Violent crime (676.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Newport News
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $476k less ($233,400 vs $709,700)
Rent averages $489/mo less ($1,209 vs $1,698)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Long Beach
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (5.6%)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
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 Long Beach by $15,640/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Long Beach
Median Income
$15,640
$78,995 vs $63,355/yr
Long Beach
Violent Crime
8% lower
676.4 vs 736.0 per 100k
Newport News
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Newport News
Median Home Value
$476k less
$233,400 vs $709,700
Newport News
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.6% unemployment
Newport News
Summer Heat
6.8°F warmer
July avg high 88.2°F vs 81.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Long Beach, CA | Newport News, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $709,700⚠ High | $233,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,698⚠ High | $1,209 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,995 ✓ Higher | $63,355 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.5% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 173⚠ High | 162⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 178⚠ High ✓ Safer | 194⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 166⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) | B+ (105) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.7:1 | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 33.7% ✓ Higher | 28.7% |
| High School or Higher | 81.2% | 91.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Long Beach Unified | Newport News City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.4°F ✓ Warmer | 49.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 81.4°F | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.0" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 462,293 ✓ Larger | 185,118 |
| Median Age | 36.1 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.6% | 47.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.7% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.5% | 13.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Long Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Newport News's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Newport News is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Newport News leads 14 of 23 categories. Long Beach wins 9 and Newport News wins 14. 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 Long Beach to Newport News or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($709,700 vs $233,400 median home), income ($78,995 vs $63,355), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Long Beach, CA and Newport News, VA are about 2,337 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.