Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Newport News, VA
VS
The Woodlands, TX
🏆 The Woodlands leads 16 of 23 categories
Newport News
Virginia
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,355
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
185,118 ✓ Larger
The Woodlands
Texas
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$142,384 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
62 ✓ Safer
Population
118,402
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $223k less ($233,400 vs $456,400)
Rent averages $514/mo less ($1,209 vs $1,723)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than The Woodlands
Cons
Median income trails The Woodlands by $79,029/yr
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
The Woodlands, TX
Pros
Households earn $79,029 more per year on average
68% less violent crime than Newport News
More college-educated — 66.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (235.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 49°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $456,400
Higher rents — median is $1,723/mo
Longer commutes — 28.2 min average each way
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Newport News
Key Differences at a Glance
Newport News
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 100.2 (100 = US avg)
Newport News
Median Home Value
$223k less
$233,400 vs $456,400
The Woodlands
Median Income
$79,029
$142,384 vs $63,355/yr
The Woodlands
Violent Crime
68% lower
235.4 vs 736.0 per 100k
The Woodlands
Summer Heat
6.0°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 88.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Newport News, VA | The Woodlands, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper | 100.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $233,400 ✓ Lower | $456,400⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,209 ✓ Lower | $1,723⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $63,355 | $142,384 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter | 28.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 7.5% | 17.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 162⚠ High | 62 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 194⚠ High | 62 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) | A (128) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.7% | 66.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 91.7% | 97.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Newport News City Public Schools | CONROE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.0°F | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.3" ✓ Drier | 54.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 185,118 ✓ Larger | 118,402 |
| Median Age | 34.1 | 40.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.6% | 72.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | 27.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.4% | 13.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Newport News's cost of living index is 97.4 vs The Woodlands's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Newport News is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, The Woodlands leads 16 of 23 categories. Newport News wins 7 and The Woodlands 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 Newport News to The Woodlands or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($233,400 vs $456,400 median home), income ($63,355 vs $142,384), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Newport News, VA and The Woodlands, TX are about 1,189 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.