Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Clara, CA
VS
Suffolk, VA
🏆 Santa Clara leads 13 of 23 categories
Santa Clara
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$165,352 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48 ✓ Safer
Population
128,058 ✓ Larger
Suffolk
Virginia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,758
Violent Crime Index
98
Population
94,856
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Santa Clara, CA
Pros
Households earn $77,594 more per year on average
51% less violent crime than Suffolk
More college-educated — 64.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (4.2%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (182.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,440,200
Higher rents — median is $2,841/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Suffolk
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.9)
Suffolk, VA
Pros
Homes cost $1126k less ($314,400 vs $1,440,200)
Rent averages $1465/mo less ($1,376 vs $2,841)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Clara
Smaller class sizes — 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Clara by $77,594/yr
Higher unemployment (6.3% vs 4.2%)
Longer commutes — 29.6 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Santa Clara
Median Income
$77,594
$165,352 vs $87,758/yr
Santa Clara
Violent Crime
51% lower
182.0 vs 371.0 per 100k
Santa Clara
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
4.2% vs 6.3% unemployment
Suffolk
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 112.9 (100 = US avg)
Suffolk
Median Home Value
$1126k less
$314,400 vs $1,440,200
Suffolk
Summer Heat
6.0°F warmer
July avg high 86.8°F vs 80.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Clara, CA | Suffolk, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.9⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,440,200⚠ High | $314,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,841⚠ High | $1,376⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $165,352 ✓ Higher | $87,758 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 29.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.9% ✓ Higher | 7.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 76 ✓ Safer | 89 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 119⚠ High | 75 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.0:1 | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 64.6% ✓ Higher | 32.1% |
| High School or Higher | 94.2% ✓ Higher | 91.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Santa Clara Unified | Suffolk City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.8°F ✓ Warmer | 49.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 80.8°F | 86.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.6" ✓ Drier | 51.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 5.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 128,058 ✓ Larger | 94,856 |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 38.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.9% | 70.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | 23.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 14.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Clara's cost of living index is 112.9 vs Suffolk's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Suffolk is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Santa Clara leads 13 of 23 categories. Santa Clara wins 13 and Suffolk wins 10. 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 Santa Clara to Suffolk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,440,200 vs $314,400 median home), income ($165,352 vs $87,758), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Clara, CA and Suffolk, VA are about 2,476 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.