CostIndexUSA

Newport News, VA vs Richmond, VA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostVA
Newport News
97.9
overall index
$1,800/mo rent
VA
Richmond
97.9
overall index
$1,650/mo rent

Newport News and Richmond have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing0.7%
Newport News
99.8
Richmond
99.1
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Newport News
96.8
Richmond
96.8
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Newport News
103.5
Richmond
103.5
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Newport News
93.7
Richmond
93.7
Utilities≈ Equal
Newport News
89.6
Richmond
89.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Richmond, VA
$80,000
Same salary works in both cities

Formula: salary × (97.9 ÷ 97.9) = salary × 1.0000. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Newport News, VA

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

Richmond, VA

Median Home Price
$381,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,650
Housing Index
99.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.2×

Newport News has 0.7% lower housing costs compared to Richmond.

Income & Job Market

Newport News, VA

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

Richmond, VA

Median Household Income
$84,300
Per Capita Income
$48,100
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
Population
226,610
Top Industries
FinanceHealthcareGovernmentManufacturingEducation

Affordability at a Glance

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

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

73% of income left after rent (median)

Richmond, VA
4.3×income-to-rent ratio

77% 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.