Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Portland, OR
VS
Portsmouth, VA
🏆 Portsmouth leads 13 of 23 categories
Portland
Oregon
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,876 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
190⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
646,101 ✓ Larger
Portsmouth
Virginia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,154
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High
Population
97,384
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Portland, OR
Pros
Households earn $28,722 more per year on average
4% less violent crime than Portsmouth
More college-educated — 52.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (5.6%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 80°F vs 88°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $523,100
Violent crime (720.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,530/mo
Property crime (5526.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Portsmouth, VA
Pros
Homes cost $310k less ($213,300 vs $523,100)
Rent averages $305/mo less ($1,225 vs $1,530)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Portland
Smaller class sizes — 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Portland by $28,722/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 5.6%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Portland
Median Income
$28,722
$85,876 vs $57,154/yr
Portland
Violent Crime
4% lower
720.1 vs 752.4 per 100k
Portland
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.6% unemployment
Portsmouth
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 106.6 (100 = US avg)
Portsmouth
Median Home Value
$310k less
$213,300 vs $523,100
Portsmouth
Summer Heat
7.7°F warmer
July avg high 88.0°F vs 80.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Portland, OR | Portsmouth, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.6⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $523,100⚠ High | $213,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,530⚠ High | $1,225 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,876 ✓ Higher | $57,154 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.8 min | 23.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.0% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 219⚠ High | 192⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 190⚠ High ✓ Safer | 198⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 263⚠ High | 184⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (112) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.0:1 | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.5% ✓ Higher | 21.2% |
| High School or Higher | 93.4% ✓ Higher | 89.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Portland SD 1J | Portsmouth City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.9°F | 48.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.3°F | 88.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.9" ✓ Drier | 50.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.6" | 3.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 646,101 ✓ Larger | 97,384 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 53.3% | 56.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | 23.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.0% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Portland's cost of living index is 106.6 vs Portsmouth's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Portsmouth is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Portsmouth leads 13 of 23 categories. Portland wins 10 and Portsmouth 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 Portland to Portsmouth or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($523,100 vs $213,300 median home), income ($85,876 vs $57,154), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Portland, OR and Portsmouth, VA are about 2,444 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.