Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Newport News, VA
VS
Sunnyvale, CA
🏆 Sunnyvale 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
Sunnyvale
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$174,506 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
64 ✓ Safer
Population
154,573
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $1447k less ($233,400 vs $1,680,700)
Rent averages $1781/mo less ($1,209 vs $2,990)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Sunnyvale
Smaller class sizes — 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Sunnyvale by $111,151/yr
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.1%)
Sunnyvale, CA
Pros
Households earn $111,151 more per year on average
67% less violent crime than Newport News
More college-educated — 68.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (244.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (4.1%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 88°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,680,700
Higher rents — median is $2,990/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Newport News
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.9)
Key Differences at a Glance
Newport News
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
Newport News
Median Home Value
$1447k less
$233,400 vs $1,680,700
Newport News
Summer Heat
11.3°F warmer
July avg high 88.2°F vs 76.9°F
Sunnyvale
Median Income
$111,151
$174,506 vs $63,355/yr
Sunnyvale
Violent Crime
67% lower
244.5 vs 736.0 per 100k
Sunnyvale
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
4.1% vs 5.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Newport News, VA | Sunnyvale, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper | 112.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $233,400 ✓ Lower | $1,680,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,209 ✓ Lower | $2,990⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $63,355 | $174,506 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter | 23.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.5% | 24.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 162⚠ High | 75 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 194⚠ High | 64 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 91 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) | A- (112) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.7% | 68.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 91.7% | 94.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Newport News City Public Schools | Cupertino Union |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.0°F | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer | 76.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.3" | 13.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 185,118 ✓ Larger | 154,573 |
| Median Age | 34.1 | 35.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.6% ✓ Higher | 44.4% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% ✓ More | 19.9% |
| Over 65 | 13.4% ✓ More | 12.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Newport News's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Sunnyvale's 112.9 (US average = 100).
Newport News is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sunnyvale leads 13 of 23 categories. Newport News wins 10 and Sunnyvale 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 Sunnyvale or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($233,400 vs $1,680,700 median home), income ($63,355 vs $174,506), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Newport News, VA and Sunnyvale, CA are about 2,478 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.