Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Murfreesboro, TN
VS
Suffolk, VA
🏆 Suffolk leads 11 of 21 categories
Murfreesboro
Tennessee
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$70,451
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
153,487 ✓ Larger
Suffolk
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$87,758 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
98 ✓ Safer
Population
94,856
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Murfreesboro, TN
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.0 pts lower (4.3%)
More college-educated — 40.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $104/mo less ($1,272 vs $1,376)
Cons
Median income trails Suffolk by $17,307/yr
Suffolk, VA
Pros
12% less violent crime than Murfreesboro
Households earn $17,307 more per year on average
Cons
Higher unemployment (6.3% vs 4.3%)
Higher rents — median is $1,376/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Murfreesboro
Unemployment
2.0 pp lower
4.3% vs 6.3% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 97.4 on the COL index
Suffolk
Median Income
$17,307
$87,758 vs $70,451/yr
Suffolk
Violent Crime
12% lower
371.0 vs 420.0 per 100k
Suffolk
Median Home Value
$13k less
$314,400 vs $327,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Murfreesboro, TN | Suffolk, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 97.4 |
| Median Home Value | $327,400⚠ High | $314,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,272 ✓ Lower | $1,376⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $70,451 | $87,758 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.3 min ✓ Shorter | 29.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 13.0% ✓ Higher | 7.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 105⚠ High | 89 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High | 98 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 75 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | B (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 14.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.5% ✓ Higher | 32.1% |
| High School or Higher | 93.9% ✓ Higher | 91.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Rutherford County | Suffolk City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.9°F | 49.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.2°F ✓ Warmer | 86.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" | 51.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.2" ✓ Less | 5.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 153,487 ✓ Larger | 94,856 |
| Median Age | 31.5 | 38.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 53.1% | 70.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | 23.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 14.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Murfreesboro's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Suffolk's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Suffolk leads 11 of 21 categories. Murfreesboro wins 10 and Suffolk wins 11. 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 Murfreesboro to Suffolk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($327,400 vs $314,400 median home), income ($70,451 vs $87,758), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Murfreesboro, TN and Suffolk, VA are about 548 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.