CostIndexUSA

Durham, NC vs Newport News, VA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostNC
Durham
97.6
overall index
$1,650/mo rent
VA
Newport News
97.9
overall index
$1,800/mo rent

Durham and Newport News have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+0.9%
Durham
98.9
Newport News
99.8
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Durham
96.6
Newport News
96.8
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Durham
103.1
Newport News
103.5
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Durham
93.3
Newport News
93.7
Utilities≈ Equal
Durham
89.3
Newport News
89.6

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Durham to see what you'd need to earn in Newport News to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Newport News, VA
$80,200
$200 more needed in Newport News

Formula: salary × (97.9 ÷ 97.6) = salary × 1.0031. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Durham, NC

Median Home Price
$402,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,650
Housing Index
98.9
Price-to-Rent Ratio
20.3×

Newport News, VA

Median Home Price
$360,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,800
Housing Index
99.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
16.7×

Newport News has 0.9% higher housing costs compared to Durham.

Income & Job Market

Durham, NC

Median Household Income
$83,300
Per Capita Income
$47,500
Unemployment Rate
3.2%
Population
278,993
Top Industries
TechnologyHealthcareEducationResearchFinance

Newport News, VA

Median Household Income
$79,300
Per Capita Income
$45,200
Unemployment Rate
4.3%
Population
186,247
Top Industries
MilitaryManufacturingHealthcareGovernmentRetail

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Durham, NC
4.2×income-to-rent ratio

76% of income left after rent (median)

Newport News, VA
3.7×income-to-rent ratio

73% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.