Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Newport News, VA
VS
Odessa, TX
🏆 Odessa leads 13 of 21 categories
Newport News
Virginia
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$63,355
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
185,118 ✓ Larger
Odessa
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,293 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
83 ✓ Safer
Population
113,353
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Newport News, VA
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.6%)
More college-educated — 28.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 94°F
Cons
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Odessa by $7,938/yr
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Odessa
Odessa, TX
Pros
57% less violent crime than Newport News
Homes cost $40k less ($193,500 vs $233,400)
Households earn $7,938 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.1)
Milder winters — January highs near 57°F vs 49°F
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Newport News
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Newport News
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.1% unemployment
Odessa
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 92.1 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Odessa
Median Income
$7,938
$71,293 vs $63,355/yr
Odessa
Violent Crime
57% lower
316.3 vs 736.0 per 100k
Odessa
Median Home Value
$40k less
$193,500 vs $233,400
Odessa
Summer Heat
5.8°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 88.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Newport News, VA | Odessa, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 92.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $233,400 | $193,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,209 ✓ Lower | $1,282 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $63,355 | $71,293 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.4 min | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.5% ✓ Higher | 3.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 162⚠ High | 85 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 194⚠ High | 83 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 88 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) | — |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.5:1 | — |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.7% ✓ Higher | 18.4% |
| High School or Higher | 91.7% ✓ Higher | 81.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Newport News City Public Schools | UTPB STEM ACADEMY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.0°F | 56.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.3" | 12.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" | 0.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 185,118 ✓ Larger | 113,353 |
| Median Age | 34.1 ✓ Older | 30.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.6% | 59.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | 29.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.4% ✓ More | 9.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Newport News's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Odessa's 92.1 (US average = 100).
Odessa is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Odessa leads 13 of 21 categories. Newport News wins 8 and Odessa 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 Newport News to Odessa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($233,400 vs $193,500 median home), income ($63,355 vs $71,293), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Newport News, VA and Odessa, TX are about 1,509 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.