Barnstable Town Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Should you move?

Moving from Barnstable Town to Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk is neutral, depends on priorities: BEA regional price parity goes from 98.4 to 97.9 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent falls by $1,135/mo.

-$7,015
BLS median salary lower in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
309 to 223
violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
12.3:1 to 13.9:1
NCES student-teacher ratio
$10,164
DOL infant care lower / yr in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk

BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.

Verdict
Neutral, depends on priorities
Cost Index: 98.4 → 97.9
Rent Delta: -$1,135/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $1135/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + More affordable childcare

Cons of Moving

  • - $7K lower median salary
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More environmental violations

Purchasing power stays near-even: BEA RPP moves only from 98.4 to 97.9 (ratio 1.00), inside a ±5% band. HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent drops $1,135/mo ($13,620/yr) from $2,422 in Barnstable Town to $1,287 in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk.

The seven-dimension ledger splits (4 destination wins · 3 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk sits #129 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Barnstable Town is #97/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Neutral, depends on priorities. Override it with the dimension table below.

BLS OEWS median salary moves $7,015 lower ($76,307 → $69,292). Labor-market size: 87,090 tracked jobs at origin vs 741,260 at destination.

State retirement friendliness favors the destination: Virginia scores 64 (C, #20/51) vs Massachusetts at 45 (F, #48/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.

Dimension
Barnstable Town
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Winner
Cost of Living
RPP 98.4
RPP 97.9
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Rent (2BR)
$2,422/mo
$1,287/mo
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Wages
$76,307
$69,292
Barnstable Town
Crime
309 per 100K
223 per 100K
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Schools
12.3:1
13.9:1
Barnstable Town
Childcare
$20,571/yr
$10,407/yr
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Environment
1140 violations
1933 violations
Barnstable Town

State retirement friendliness

Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.

Origin state · Massachusetts
45 F #48/51
Income tax
55
Property tax
65
Estate tax
50
Healthcare
84
Destination state · Virginia
64 C #20/51
Income tax
78
Property tax
71
Estate tax
100
Healthcare
62

Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Barnstable Town to see what you'd need to earn in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026