Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Newport News, VA
VS
San Marcos, CA
🏆 San Marcos leads 13 of 23 categories
Newport News
Virginia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,355
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
185,118 ✓ Larger
San Marcos
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,413 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
59 ✓ Safer
Population
94,360
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $495k less ($233,400 vs $728,800)
Rent averages $855/mo less ($1,209 vs $2,064)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than San Marcos
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Marcos by $36,058/yr
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.2%)
San Marcos, CA
Pros
70% less violent crime than Newport News
Households earn $36,058 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (222.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (4.2%)
More college-educated — 41.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 49°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $728,800
Higher rents — median is $2,064/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Newport News
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Newport News
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Newport News
Median Home Value
$495k less
$233,400 vs $728,800
San Marcos
Median Income
$36,058
$99,413 vs $63,355/yr
San Marcos
Violent Crime
70% lower
222.4 vs 736.0 per 100k
San Marcos
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
4.2% vs 5.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Newport News, VA | San Marcos, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper | 111.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $233,400 ✓ Lower | $728,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,209 ✓ Lower | $2,064⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $63,355 | $99,413 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter | 26.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.5% | 16.2% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 162⚠ High | 48 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 194⚠ High | 59 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 31 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.7% | 41.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 91.7% ✓ Higher | 87.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Newport News City Public Schools | San Marcos Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.0°F | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer | 87.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.3" | 13.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 185,118 ✓ Larger | 94,360 |
| Median Age | 34.1 | 35.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.6% | 61.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | 25.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.4% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Newport News's cost of living index is 97.4 vs San Marcos's 111.5 (US average = 100).
Newport News is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Marcos leads 13 of 23 categories. Newport News wins 10 and San Marcos 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 San Marcos or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($233,400 vs $728,800 median home), income ($63,355 vs $99,413), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Newport News, VA and San Marcos, CA are about 2,296 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.