City comparison
No. Chesapeake's crime index is 97 versus 200 in Colorado Springs, and its violent crime index is 96 versus 204, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Chesapeake is cheaper. Median rent is $1,586 a month versus $1,648 in Colorado Springs.
Safety is where Colorado Springs and Chesapeake split most clearly. Chesapeake scores 103 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,648 in Colorado Springs and $1,586 in Chesapeake.
Chesapeake is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, the job market, safety, and weather by margins that add up in daily life. Colorado Springs makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Chesapeake is the stronger move.
The crime gap is citywide. Chesapeake has rougher pockets and Colorado Springs has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Colorado Springs and Chesapeake are 1,558 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,648 a month in Colorado Springs to $1,586 a month in Chesapeake, down $62 a month (4%).
Median household income goes from $84,818 in Colorado Springs to $95,373 in Chesapeake, up $10,555 (12%).
The crime index goes from 200 in Colorado Springs to 97 in Chesapeake, down 103 points (52%).
The move
Chesapeake and Colorado Springs are 1,558 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,586 a month in Chesapeake to $1,648 a month in Colorado Springs, up $62 a month (4%).
Median household income goes from $95,373 in Chesapeake to $84,818 in Colorado Springs, down $10,555 (11%).
The crime index goes from 97 in Chesapeake to 200 in Colorado Springs, up 103 points (106%).
Colorado Springs, CO
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Chesapeake, VA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Colorado Springs and Chesapeake? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
4% cheaper
Chesapeake rent is 4% cheaper than Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
$1,648/mo
Chesapeake
Winner$1,586/mo
Typical rent runs $1,586 a month in Chesapeake versus $1,648 in Colorado Springs, so Chesapeake is 4% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $62, or $744 a year: noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Planning to buy in Chesapeake? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
12% higher
Chesapeake's median income is 12% higher than Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
$84,818
Chesapeake
Winner$95,373
Median household income is $95,373 in Chesapeake versus $84,818 in Colorado Springs, so typical pay runs 12% higher in Chesapeake (about $10,555 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Chesapeake is the stronger labor market on paper. Colorado Springs can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
52% lower crime
Chesapeake's crime index is 52% lower than Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
200 (100 = avg)
Chesapeake
Winner97 (100 = avg)
Chesapeake's crime index is 97 versus 200 in Colorado Springs (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 52% lower in Chesapeake. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Chesapeake is the easier city. Colorado Springs can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
15% more comfortable
Chesapeake weather is 15% more comfortable than Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
55°F avg · 63°F highs · comfort 72/100
Chesapeake
Winner59°F avg · 66°F highs · comfort 83/100
Colorado Springs averages about 55°F (63°F highs); Chesapeake averages about 59°F (66°F highs). Colorado Springs averages around 55°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Chesapeake averages around 59°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Chesapeake scores 15% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Colorado Springs if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Colorado Springs
On these five categories Chesapeake takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Colorado Springs because the stats are kinder. They are not. Choose Colorado Springs only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access
Chesapeake is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 4% cheaper here at about $1,586 a month. Choose Chesapeake if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 12% higher ($95,373), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two (around 59°F). That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Chesapeake is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 52% lower than Colorado Springs (97 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
Crime and safety tilt toward Chesapeake: Chesapeake scores 61/100 versus 39/100 in Colorado Springs, with typical rent at $1,586 versus $1,648. I would vet the exact ZIP in Colorado Springs before trading 22 safety points for housing savings.
Safety still diverges (61/100 in Chesapeake vs 39/100 in Colorado Springs), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Weather averages land near 55°F in Colorado Springs and 59°F in Chesapeake.
Chesapeake clears the bar on safety in this dataset. Colorado Springs deserves a serious look only when you already know the Colorado Springs block you would live on and the safety gap is acceptable.
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