Head-to-Head · City Comparison
O'Fallon, MO
VS
Portsmouth, VA
🏆 O'Fallon leads 15 of 23 categories
O'Fallon
Missouri
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$104,863 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
16 ✓ Safer
Population
91,825
Portsmouth
Virginia
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$57,154
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High
Population
97,384 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
O'Fallon, MO
Pros
Households earn $47,709 more per year on average
92% less violent crime than Portsmouth
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.5 pts lower (3.1%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (59.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 42.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Portsmouth, VA
Pros
Homes cost $70k less ($213,300 vs $283,600)
Milder winters — January highs near 49°F vs 39°F
Rent averages $86/mo less ($1,225 vs $1,311)
Cons
Median income trails O'Fallon by $47,709/yr
Violent crime (752.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3860.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 3.1%)
Key Differences at a Glance
O'Fallon
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
O'Fallon
Median Income
$47,709
$104,863 vs $57,154/yr
O'Fallon
Violent Crime
92% lower
59.0 vs 752.4 per 100k
O'Fallon
Unemployment
3.5 pp lower
3.1% vs 6.6% unemployment
Portsmouth
Median Home Value
$70k less
$213,300 vs $283,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | O'Fallon, MO | Portsmouth, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper | 97.4 |
| Median Home Value | $283,600 | $213,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,311 | $1,225 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,863 ✓ Higher | $57,154 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.1% ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.1 min | 23.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 18 ✓ Safer | 192⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 16 ✓ Safer | 198⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 23 ✓ Safer | 184⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 13.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.4% ✓ Higher | 21.2% |
| High School or Higher | 95.4% ✓ Higher | 89.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FORT ZUMWALT SCHOOL DISTRICT | Portsmouth City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 48.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F | 88.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.4" ✓ Drier | 50.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.5" | 3.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,825 | 97,384 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.0 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 80.9% ✓ Higher | 56.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% ✓ More | 23.1% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
O'Fallon's cost of living index is 96.3 vs Portsmouth's 97.4 (US average = 100).
O'Fallon is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, O'Fallon leads 15 of 23 categories. O'Fallon wins 15 and Portsmouth wins 8. 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 O'Fallon to Portsmouth or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($283,600 vs $213,300 median home), income ($104,863 vs $57,154), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
O'Fallon, MO and Portsmouth, VA are about 794 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.