Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk Syracuse

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 97.9 → 95.7
Rent Delta: +$105/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $3K higher median salary
  • + Better student-teacher ratios

Cons of Moving

  • - $105/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - More expensive childcare
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk to Syracuse shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 97.9 to 95.7 (100 = US average), so a Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk salary needs to be multiplied by 0.98 to hold the same purchasing power in Syracuse. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,287/month in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk to $1,392/month in Syracuse - a higher monthly bill of $105, or $1,260/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $69,292 in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk versus $71,924 in Syracuse - a raw gap of $2,632 higher. The Syracuse labor market has 291,140 tracked jobs against 741,260 in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk and Syracuse are 223 and 380 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 13.9:1 at origin versus 11.8:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $10,407/year in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk versus $13,869/year in Syracuse. Our composite verdict - Less Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Syracuse
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 97.9
RPP 95.7
Syracuse
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,287/mo
$1,392/mo
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
💼 Wages
$69,292
$71,924
Syracuse
🔒 Crime
223 per 100K
380 per 100K
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
🎓 Schools
13.9:1
11.8:1
Syracuse
👶 Childcare
$10,407/yr
$13,869/yr
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
🌿 Environment
1855 violations
5270 violations
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk

Salary Adjustment Calculator

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

Equivalent salary in Syracuse
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Syracuse more expensive than Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Syracuse has an RPP of 95.7 compared to Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk's 97.9 (100 = national average). Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Syracuse is $1,392/mo vs $1,287/mo in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk.
What are salaries like in Syracuse compared to Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The median salary in Syracuse is $71,924 compared to $69,292 in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk. That's a +$2,632 difference.
Is Syracuse safer than Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The violent crime rate near Syracuse is 380 per 100K vs 223 per 100K near Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk (state-level data). Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Syracuse to match my Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk salary by 0.98. For example, a $75,000 salary in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk would need to be $73,316 in Syracuse. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Less Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Less Favorable" means the origin edges ahead on balance. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)