Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Nashua, NH
VS
Virginia Beach, VA
🏆 Virginia Beach leads 14 of 23 categories
Nashua
New Hampshire
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$88,766 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
42
Population
90,943
Virginia Beach
Virginia
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,544
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.
Nashua, NH
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (160.5 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 12.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher unemployment (5.1% vs 4.3%)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Virginia Beach
Snowy winters — about 53" of snow per year
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
42% less violent crime than Nashua
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (4.3%)
Milder winters — January highs near 50°F vs 35°F
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Nashua
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Nashua
Median Income
$1,222
$88,766 vs $87,544/yr
Virginia Beach
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 106.1 (100 = US avg)
Virginia Beach
Violent Crime
42% lower
92.3 vs 160.5 per 100k
Virginia Beach
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.1% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Nashua, NH | Virginia Beach, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.1⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $344,900⚠ High | $343,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,597⚠ High | $1,568⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $88,766 ✓ Higher | $87,544 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.1%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.9 min | 23.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.2% ✓ Higher | 10.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 | 46 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 78 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (112) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.4% ✓ Higher | 39.8% |
| High School or Higher | 92.2% | 94.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Nashua School District | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F | 50.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F | 87.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3" ✓ Drier | 54.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 52.9" | 3.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 90,943 | 457,900 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.1 ✓ Older | 37.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.5% | 64.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.8% | 22.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.4% ✓ More | 15.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Nashua's cost of living index is 106.1 vs Virginia Beach's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Virginia Beach is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Virginia Beach leads 14 of 23 categories. Nashua wins 9 and Virginia Beach 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 Nashua to Virginia Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($344,900 vs $343,700 median home), income ($88,766 vs $87,544), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Nashua, NH and Virginia Beach, VA are about 478 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.