Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Portsmouth, VA
VS
Riverview, FL
🏆 Riverview leads 15 of 22 categories
Portsmouth
Virginia
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,154
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High
Population
97,384
Riverview
Florida
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$87,383 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
102,467 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Portsmouth, VA
Pros
Rent averages $532/mo less ($1,225 vs $1,757)
Homes cost $79k less ($213,300 vs $292,700)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Riverview
Smaller class sizes — 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Riverview by $30,229/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%)
Riverview, FL
Pros
83% less violent crime than Portsmouth
Households earn $30,229 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (5.6%)
Milder winters — January highs near 72°F vs 49°F
More college-educated — 32.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,757/mo
Longer commutes — 34.5 min average each way
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Portsmouth
Key Differences at a Glance
Portsmouth
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Portsmouth
Median Home Value
$79k less
$213,300 vs $292,700
Riverview
Median Income
$30,229
$87,383 vs $57,154/yr
Riverview
Violent Crime
83% lower
131.1 vs 752.4 per 100k
Riverview
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
5.6% vs 6.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Portsmouth, VA | Riverview, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $213,300 ✓ Lower | $292,700 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,225 ✓ Lower | $1,757⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $57,154 | $87,383 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.2 min ✓ Shorter | 34.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 17.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 192⚠ High | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 198⚠ High | 35 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 184⚠ High | 21 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 21.2% | 32.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.5% | 91.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Portsmouth City Public Schools | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.8°F | 71.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.0°F | 90.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.0" ✓ Drier | 54.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,384 | 102,467 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.6 | 36.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.1% | 72.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | 25.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.1% ✓ More | 10.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Portsmouth's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Riverview's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Portsmouth is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Riverview leads 15 of 22 categories. Portsmouth wins 7 and Riverview wins 15. 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 Portsmouth to Riverview or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,300 vs $292,700 median home), income ($57,154 vs $87,383), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Portsmouth, VA and Riverview, FL are about 714 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.