Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Newport News, VA
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
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 ✓ Larger
Visalia
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,658 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
141,466
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Newport News, VA
Pros
Homes cost $83k less ($233,400 vs $316,600)
More college-educated — 28.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $80/mo less ($1,209 vs $1,289)
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Visalia
Cons
Violent crime (736.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Visalia by $12,303/yr
Visalia, CA
Pros
41% less violent crime than Newport News
Households earn $12,303 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 55°F vs 49°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $316,600
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Newport News
Key Differences at a Glance
Newport News
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 101.3 (100 = US avg)
Newport News
Median Home Value
$83k less
$233,400 vs $316,600
Visalia
Median Income
$12,303
$75,658 vs $63,355/yr
Visalia
Violent Crime
41% lower
435.3 vs 736.0 per 100k
Visalia
Summer Heat
5.6°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 88.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Newport News, VA | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper | 101.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $233,400 ✓ Lower | $316,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,209 ✓ Lower | $1,289 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $63,355 | $75,658 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.4 min | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.5% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 162⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 194⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.7% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 91.7% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Newport News City Public Schools | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.0°F | 55.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.3" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 185,118 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 34.1 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.6% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.4% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Newport News's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Newport News is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Newport News wins 11 and Visalia wins 11. 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 Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($233,400 vs $316,600 median home), income ($63,355 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Newport News, VA and Visalia, CA are about 2,351 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.