Should I Move To
Suffolk, Virginia is home to about 94,856 people. On cost of living, it lands in the moderate band — essentially matching the national average. The median renter pays around $1,376 a month against a typical household income of $87,758. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 60 out of 100 (grade C), putting it at #146 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Inverse of violent + property crime rate per 100,000 residents.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Suffolk's composite cost-of-living index lands at 98 (100 = US average), which puts it in the moderate band. At $1,376/mo against $87,758 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 19% of income on housing — comfortably under the 30% rule of thumb, which is unusual. Median home value sits around $314,400.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is four-season — summer averages around 85°F, winter averages around 34°F. Precipitation totals about 48 inches a year. Built around the car — walking isn't really an option for daily life. Crime rates land roughly average for a US city of this size. Air quality reads good (AQI 37).
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Suffolk reads as a moderate fit for families. It earns 59/100 (grade C) on the families profile. Strongest on climate (93/100); weakest on walkability (0/100).
Suffolk reads as a moderate fit for retirees. It earns 61/100 (grade C+) on the retirees profile. Strongest on climate (93/100); weakest on walkability (0/100).
Suffolk reads as a moderate fit for remote workers. It earns 64/100 (grade C+) on the remote workers profile. Strongest on climate (93/100); weakest on walkability (0/100).
Suffolk doesn't obviously fit young professionals. It earns 48/100 (grade D) on the young professionals profile. Strongest on climate (93/100); weakest on walkability (0/100).
Suffolk, Virginia pulls a 60/100 overall on the UrbRank Score (grade C), currently ranked #146 nationally. The composite weights seven lifestyle dimensions: affordability, safety, climate, walkability, jobs, environment, and education.
Suffolk's cost-of-living index is 98 (with 100 as the US average), which lands in the moderate band — essentially matching the national average. Median rent runs about $1,376/mo.
Four-season — summer averages around 85°F, winter averages around 34°F, with about 48 inches of precipitation a year.
Walk Score: 0/100. Built around the car — walking isn't really an option for daily life.
Suffolk has about 94,856 residents, 32% of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher with a median age of 39.
Use UrbRank's comparison tool to put Suffolk head-to-head against any other US city — housing, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life metrics side by side. The leaderboard pages also show how Suffolk stacks up for families, retirees, remote workers, and young professionals specifically.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Suffolk with other Virginia cities scored on UrbRank.
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