Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Newport News, VA
VS
St. Paul, MN
🏆 St. Paul leads 12 of 23 categories
Newport News
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,355
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
185,118
St. Paul
Minnesota
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$69,919 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
308,806 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Newport News, VA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 24°F
Homes cost $32k less ($233,400 vs $264,900)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Paul
Smaller class sizes — 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails St. Paul by $6,564/yr
St. Paul, MN
Pros
16% less violent crime than Newport News
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 42.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $6,564 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 88°F
Cons
Violent crime (617.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2834.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Newport News
Snowy winters — about 40" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Newport News
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 104.5 (100 = US avg)
Newport News
Median Home Value
$32k less
$233,400 vs $264,900
Newport News
Summer Heat
5.6°F warmer
July avg high 88.2°F vs 82.6°F
St. Paul
Median Income
$6,564
$69,919 vs $63,355/yr
St. Paul
Violent Crime
16% lower
617.7 vs 736.0 per 100k
St. Paul
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Newport News, VA | St. Paul, MN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper | 104.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $233,400 ✓ Lower | $264,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,209 | $1,174 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $63,355 | $69,919 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.4 min | 23.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.5% | 15.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 162⚠ High | 152⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 194⚠ High | 163⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.7% | 42.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 91.7% ✓ Higher | 88.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Newport News City Public Schools | Saint Paul Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.0°F ✓ Warmer | 23.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer | 82.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.3" | 29.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" ✓ Less | 40.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 185,118 | 308,806 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.1 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.6% | 53.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.4% ✓ More | 11.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Newport News's cost of living index is 97.4 vs St. Paul's 104.5 (US average = 100).
Newport News is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Paul leads 12 of 23 categories. Newport News wins 11 and St. Paul wins 12. 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 St. Paul or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($233,400 vs $264,900 median home), income ($63,355 vs $69,919), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Newport News, VA and St. Paul, MN are about 1,018 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.