Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Virginia Beach, VA
VS
Wichita, KS
🏆 Virginia Beach leads 14 of 22 categories
Virginia Beach
Virginia
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$87,544 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
24 ✓ Safer
Population
457,900 ✓ Larger
Wichita
Kansas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,712
Violent Crime Index
142⚠ High
Population
395,951
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Virginia Beach, VA
Pros
83% less violent crime than Wichita
Households earn $26,832 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (92.3 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (4.3%)
More college-educated — 39.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 50°F vs 44°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $343,700
Higher rents — median is $1,568/mo
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Wichita
Wichita, KS
Pros
Homes cost $177k less ($166,400 vs $343,700)
Rent averages $653/mo less ($915 vs $1,568)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Virginia Beach
Cons
Median income trails Virginia Beach by $26,832/yr
Violent crime (538.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Virginia Beach
Median Income
$26,832
$87,544 vs $60,712/yr
Virginia Beach
Violent Crime
83% lower
92.3 vs 538.6 per 100k
Virginia Beach
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.7% unemployment
Wichita
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Wichita
Median Home Value
$177k less
$166,400 vs $343,700
Wichita
Summer Heat
5.2°F warmer
July avg high 92.6°F vs 87.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Virginia Beach, VA | Wichita, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $343,700⚠ High | $166,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,568⚠ High | $915 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $87,544 ✓ Higher | $60,712 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.5 min | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.7% ✓ Higher | 6.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 46 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 24 ✓ Safer | 142⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (109) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.3:1 | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 39.8% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 94.5% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Virginia Beach City Public Schools | Wichita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.3°F ✓ Warmer | 43.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.4°F | 92.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.7" | 35.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.4" ✓ Less | 12.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 457,900 ✓ Larger | 395,951 |
| Median Age | 37.1 ✓ Older | 35.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.6% ✓ Higher | 58.5% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | 24.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.0% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Virginia Beach's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Wichita's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Wichita is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Virginia Beach leads 14 of 22 categories. Virginia Beach wins 14 and Wichita wins 8. 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 Virginia Beach to Wichita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($343,700 vs $166,400 median home), income ($87,544 vs $60,712), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Virginia Beach, VA and Wichita, KS are about 1,172 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.