Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Stamford, CT
VS
Virginia Beach, VA
🏆 Virginia Beach leads 14 of 23 categories
Stamford
Connecticut
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$100,718 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
41
Population
135,413
Virginia Beach
Virginia
14
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.
Stamford, CT
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (157.5 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $13,174 more per year on average
More college-educated — 50.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $584,700
Higher rents — median is $2,129/mo
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 4.3%)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
Homes cost $241k less ($343,700 vs $584,700)
41% less violent crime than Stamford
Rent averages $561/mo less ($1,568 vs $2,129)
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (4.3%)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Stamford by $13,174/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Stamford
Median Income
$13,174
$100,718 vs $87,544/yr
Virginia Beach
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 106.5 (100 = US avg)
Virginia Beach
Violent Crime
41% lower
92.3 vs 157.5 per 100k
Virginia Beach
Median Home Value
$241k less
$343,700 vs $584,700
Virginia Beach
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Stamford, CT | Virginia Beach, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.5⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $584,700⚠ High | $343,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,129⚠ High | $1,568⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $100,718 ✓ Higher | $87,544 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.8 min⚠ High | 23.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% ✓ Higher | 10.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 | 46 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 41 | 24 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 78 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (120) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.4% ✓ Higher | 39.8% |
| High School or Higher | 88.1% | 94.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Stamford School District | Virginia Beach City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.0°F | 50.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.8°F | 87.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.9" ✓ Drier | 54.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.0" | 3.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 135,413 | 457,900 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.6 ✓ Older | 37.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 46.0% | 64.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.2% | 22.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.3% ✓ More | 15.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Stamford's cost of living index is 106.5 vs Virginia Beach's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Virginia Beach is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Virginia Beach leads 14 of 23 categories. Stamford wins 9 and Virginia Beach 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 Stamford to Virginia Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($584,700 vs $343,700 median home), income ($100,718 vs $87,544), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Stamford, CT and Virginia Beach, VA are about 326 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.