Head to head
Jacksonville, FL vs Virginia Beach, VA
Virginia Beach is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $14/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $5,000 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, Jacksonville is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | Jacksonville66 | Virginia Beach75 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $4,212 | $4,198 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $9,565 | $9,897 |
| Salary for comfort | $74,000/yr | $79,000/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,658 | $1,713 |
| Median home value | $266,100 | $366,300 |
| Median household income | $66,981 | $90,685 |
| Unemployment | 5.0% | 3.7% |
| Housing score | 52 | 72 |
| Jobs score | 39 | 55 |
| Safety score | 65 | 93 |
| Climate score | 100 | 96 |
| Amenities score | 41 | 38 |
| Population | 961.7K | 457.1K |
| Summer high / winter low | 91° / 45° | 88° / 32° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Jacksonville, FL
Virginia Beach, VA