Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Portsmouth, VA
VS
Sparks, NV
🏆 Sparks leads 14 of 23 categories
Portsmouth
Virginia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,154
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High
Population
97,384
Sparks
Nevada
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,938 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
108,025 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Portsmouth, VA
Pros
Homes cost $210k less ($213,300 vs $423,500)
Rent averages $301/mo less ($1,225 vs $1,526)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Sparks
Smaller class sizes — 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Sparks by $25,784/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
Sparks, NV
Pros
48% less violent crime than Portsmouth
Households earn $25,784 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (6.1%)
More college-educated — 25.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $423,500
Higher rents — median is $1,526/mo
Property crime (2583.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Portsmouth
Key Differences at a Glance
Portsmouth
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 103.2 (100 = US avg)
Portsmouth
Median Home Value
$210k less
$213,300 vs $423,500
Sparks
Median Income
$25,784
$82,938 vs $57,154/yr
Sparks
Violent Crime
48% lower
394.4 vs 752.4 per 100k
Sparks
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
6.1% vs 6.6% unemployment
Sparks
Summer Heat
4.1°F warmer
July avg high 92.1°F vs 88.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Portsmouth, VA | Sparks, NV |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper | 103.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $213,300 ✓ Lower | $423,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,225 ✓ Lower | $1,526⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $57,154 | $82,938 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 6.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.2 min ✓ Shorter | 23.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 7.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 192⚠ High | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 198⚠ High | 104⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 184⚠ High | 123⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 21.2% | 25.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.5% ✓ Higher | 85.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Portsmouth City Public Schools | Washoe County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.8°F ✓ Warmer | 48.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.0°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.0" | 8.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.0" ✓ Less | 6.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,384 | 108,025 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.6 | 37.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.1% | 59.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.1% | 15.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Portsmouth's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Sparks's 103.2 (US average = 100).
Portsmouth is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Sparks leads 14 of 23 categories. Portsmouth wins 9 and Sparks wins 14. 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 Sparks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,300 vs $423,500 median home), income ($57,154 vs $82,938), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Portsmouth, VA and Sparks, NV are about 2,338 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.