Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Portsmouth, VA
VS
Tallahassee, FL
🏆 Tallahassee leads 12 of 20 categories
Portsmouth
Virginia
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$57,154 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High
Population
97,384
Tallahassee
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,899
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,259 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Portsmouth, VA
Pros
Homes cost $43k less ($213,300 vs $256,400)
Households earn $4,255 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
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
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Tallahassee
Tallahassee, FL
Pros
More college-educated — 49.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 64°F vs 49°F
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Portsmouth
Cons
Median income trails Portsmouth by $4,255/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Portsmouth
Median Income
$4,255
$57,154 vs $52,899/yr
Portsmouth
Median Home Value
$43k less
$213,300 vs $256,400
Tallahassee
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 95.3 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Tallahassee
Summer Heat
4.1°F warmer
July avg high 92.1°F vs 88.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Portsmouth, VA | Tallahassee, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 95.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $213,300 ✓ Lower | $256,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,225 | $1,165 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $57,154 ✓ Higher | $52,899 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 6.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.2 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 11.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 192⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 198⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 184⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | A- (113) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 21.2% | 49.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.5% | 93.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Portsmouth City Public Schools | LEON |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.8°F | 63.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.0°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.0" ✓ Drier | 57.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,384 | 198,259 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.6 ✓ Older | 27.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.1% ✓ Higher | 39.8% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% ✓ More | 16.7% |
| Over 65 | 15.1% ✓ More | 11.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Portsmouth's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Tallahassee's 95.3 (US average = 100).
Tallahassee is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Tallahassee leads 12 of 20 categories. Portsmouth wins 8 and Tallahassee wins 12. 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 Tallahassee or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,300 vs $256,400 median home), income ($57,154 vs $52,899), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Portsmouth, VA and Tallahassee, FL are about 634 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.