Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New York, NY
VS
Suffolk, VA
🏆 Suffolk leads 16 of 23 categories
New York
New York
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,607
Violent Crime Index
177⚠ High
Population
8,622,467 ✓ Larger
Suffolk
Virginia
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
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.
New York, NY
Pros
More college-educated — 40.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $732,100
Violent crime (671.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,714/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Suffolk
Suffolk, VA
Pros
Homes cost $418k less ($314,400 vs $732,100)
45% less violent crime than New York
Rent averages $338/mo less ($1,376 vs $1,714)
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (6.3%)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than New York
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Suffolk
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Suffolk
Median Income
$11,151
$87,758 vs $76,607/yr
Suffolk
Violent Crime
45% lower
371.0 vs 671.0 per 100k
Suffolk
Median Home Value
$418k less
$314,400 vs $732,100
Suffolk
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
6.3% vs 7.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New York, NY | Suffolk, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $732,100⚠ High | $314,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,714⚠ High | $1,376⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,607 | $87,758 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.6%⚠ High | 6.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 41.1 min⚠ High | 29.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.0% ✓ Higher | 7.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 151⚠ High | 89 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 177⚠ High | 98 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 113⚠ High | 75 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.2% ✓ Higher | 32.1% |
| High School or Higher | 83.3% | 91.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2 | Suffolk City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.7°F | 49.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.8°F | 86.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.1" ✓ Drier | 51.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.5" | 5.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 8,622,467 ✓ Larger | 94,856 |
| Median Age | 37.5 | 38.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 32.9% | 70.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | 23.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.5% ✓ More | 14.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New York's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Suffolk's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Suffolk is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Suffolk leads 16 of 23 categories. New York wins 7 and Suffolk wins 16. 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 New York to Suffolk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($732,100 vs $314,400 median home), income ($76,607 vs $87,758), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New York, NY and Suffolk, VA are about 310 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.