Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Portsmouth, VA
VS
Virginia Beach, VA
🏆 Virginia Beach leads 13 of 22 categories
Portsmouth
Virginia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$57,154
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High
Population
97,384
Virginia Beach
Virginia
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$87,544 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
24 ✓ Safer
Population
457,900 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Portsmouth, VA
Pros
Homes cost $130k less ($213,300 vs $343,700)
Rent averages $343/mo less ($1,225 vs $1,568)
Cons
Median income trails Virginia Beach by $30,390/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 4.3%)
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
88% less violent crime than Portsmouth
Households earn $30,390 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (4.3%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 39.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $343,700
Higher rents — median is $1,568/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Portsmouth
Median Home Value
$130k less
$213,300 vs $343,700
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 97.4 on the COL index
Virginia Beach
Median Income
$30,390
$87,544 vs $57,154/yr
Virginia Beach
Violent Crime
88% lower
92.3 vs 752.4 per 100k
Virginia Beach
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
4.3% vs 6.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Portsmouth, VA | Virginia Beach, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 97.4 |
| Median Home Value | $213,300 ✓ Lower | $343,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,225 ✓ Lower | $1,568⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $57,154 | $87,544 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.2 min ✓ Shorter | 23.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 10.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 192⚠ High | 46 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 198⚠ High | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 184⚠ High | 78 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 21.2% | 39.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.5% | 94.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Portsmouth City Public Schools | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.8°F | 50.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.0°F ✓ Warmer | 87.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.0" ✓ Drier | 54.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.0" ✓ Less | 3.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,384 | 457,900 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.6 | 37.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.1% | 64.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.1% ✓ More | 22.0% |
| Over 65 | 15.1% ✓ More | 15.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Portsmouth's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Virginia Beach's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Virginia Beach leads 13 of 22 categories. Portsmouth wins 9 and Virginia Beach 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 Portsmouth to Virginia Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,300 vs $343,700 median home), income ($57,154 vs $87,544), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Portsmouth, VA and Virginia Beach, VA are about 19 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.