Moving to Newport News, VA
Is Newport News a good place to live?
Newport News ranks #36 of 45 Virginia cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (36/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.2% in the latest Census year.
Cost of living in Newport News
The median home value in Newport News is $243,300 and median rent is $1,285 a month, against a median household income of $66,718. Homes cost about 3.6× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).
Newport News crime rate
City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Virginia the 2025 rate was 210 violent and 1,394 property crimes per 100,000 people — #33 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.
Moving to Newport News, VA
Newport News has about 184,774 residents, 5.9% unemployment and 18% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Compare Newport News with
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.
Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.
See the full Smart Movers Club report