City comparison
Virginia Beach is safer than Aurora. Virginia Beach's crime index is 62 versus 212 in Aurora, and its violent crime index is 29 versus 248, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Virginia Beach is cheaper. Median rent is $1,714 a month versus $1,835 in Aurora.
Safety is where Virginia Beach and Aurora split most clearly. Virginia Beach scores 150 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,714 in Virginia Beach and $1,835 in Aurora.
Virginia Beach 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. Aurora makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Virginia Beach is the stronger move.
The crime gap is citywide. Virginia Beach has rougher pockets and Aurora has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Virginia Beach and Aurora are 1,570 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,714 a month in Virginia Beach to $1,835 a month in Aurora, up $121 a month (7%).
Median household income goes from $92,968 in Virginia Beach to $88,368 in Aurora, down $4,600 (5%).
The crime index goes from 62 in Virginia Beach to 212 in Aurora, up 150 points (242%).
The move
Aurora and Virginia Beach are 1,570 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,835 a month in Aurora to $1,714 a month in Virginia Beach, down $121 a month (7%).
Median household income goes from $88,368 in Aurora to $92,968 in Virginia Beach, up $4,600 (5%).
The crime index goes from 212 in Aurora to 62 in Virginia Beach, down 150 points (71%).
Virginia Beach, VA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Aurora, CO
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Virginia Beach and Aurora? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
7% cheaper
Virginia Beach rent is 7% cheaper than Aurora
Virginia Beach
Winner$1,714/mo
Aurora
$1,835/mo
Typical rent runs $1,714 a month in Virginia Beach versus $1,835 in Aurora, so Virginia Beach is 7% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $121, or $1,452 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 Virginia Beach? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
5% higher
Virginia Beach's median income is 5% higher than Aurora
Virginia Beach
Winner$92,968
Aurora
$88,368
Median household income is $92,968 in Virginia Beach versus $88,368 in Aurora, so typical pay runs 5% higher in Virginia Beach (about $4,600 more household income a year). The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.
Crime index
71% lower crime
Virginia Beach's crime index is 71% lower than Aurora
Virginia Beach
Winner62 (100 = avg)
Aurora
212 (100 = avg)
Virginia Beach's crime index is 62 versus 212 in Aurora (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 71% lower in Virginia Beach. 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, Virginia Beach is the easier city. Aurora can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
25% more comfortable
Virginia Beach weather is 25% more comfortable than Aurora
Virginia Beach
Winner63°F avg · 67°F highs · comfort 94/100
Aurora
56°F avg · 65°F highs · comfort 75/100
Virginia Beach averages about 63°F (67°F highs); Aurora averages about 56°F (65°F highs). Virginia Beach averages around 63°F. Aurora averages around 56°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Virginia Beach scores 25% 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 Aurora if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access
Virginia Beach is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 7% cheaper here at about $1,714 a month. Choose Virginia Beach 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 5% higher ($92,968), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two (around 63°F). That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Virginia Beach is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 71% lower than Aurora (62 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.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Aurora
On these five categories Virginia Beach takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Aurora because the stats are kinder. They are not. Choose Aurora 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.
Bottom line
Neither city is a free pass on neighborhood choice, but Virginia Beach leads on safety (75/100 vs 37/100 in Aurora). Typical rent is $1,714 in Virginia Beach and $1,835 in Aurora; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
Safety still diverges (75/100 in Virginia Beach vs 37/100 in Aurora), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Median income is $92,968 in Virginia Beach versus $88,368 in Aurora.
Virginia Beach is ahead on safety (75/100 vs 37/100); Aurora is still viable when you have a vetted ZIP there and $1,835/month rent plus $88,368 income fit your budget better than the safety margin.
Common questions
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Nearby research
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