Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Roswell, GA
VS
Virginia Beach, VA
🏆 Roswell leads 16 of 22 categories
Roswell
Georgia
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,924 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
42
Population
92,770
Virginia Beach
Virginia
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,544
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.
Roswell, GA
Pros
Households earn $35,380 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (160.1 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 63.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $479,400
Longer commutes — 29.1 min average each way
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
42% less violent crime than Roswell
Homes cost $136k less ($343,700 vs $479,400)
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Roswell
Cons
Median income trails Roswell by $35,380/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Roswell
Median Income
$35,380
$122,924 vs $87,544/yr
Virginia Beach
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 100.9 (100 = US avg)
Virginia Beach
Violent Crime
42% lower
92.3 vs 160.1 per 100k
Virginia Beach
Median Home Value
$136k less
$343,700 vs $479,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Roswell, GA | Virginia Beach, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.9⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $479,400⚠ High | $343,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,619⚠ High | $1,568⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,924 ✓ Higher | $87,544 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.1 min⚠ High | 23.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 25.2% ✓ Higher | 10.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 45 ✓ Safer | 46 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 49 ✓ Safer | 78 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 63.4% ✓ Higher | 39.8% |
| High School or Higher | 94.8% ✓ Higher | 94.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fulton County | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.9°F ✓ Warmer | 50.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.4°F ✓ Warmer | 87.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.5" ✓ Drier | 54.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.3" ✓ Less | 3.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,770 | 457,900 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.5 ✓ Older | 37.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 70.8% ✓ Higher | 64.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% ✓ More | 22.0% |
| Over 65 | 15.1% ✓ More | 15.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Roswell's cost of living index is 100.9 vs Virginia Beach's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Virginia Beach is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Roswell leads 16 of 22 categories. Roswell wins 16 and Virginia Beach wins 6. 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 Roswell to Virginia Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($479,400 vs $343,700 median home), income ($122,924 vs $87,544), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Roswell, GA and Virginia Beach, VA are about 505 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.