City comparison
No clear edge. Virginia Beach's crime index is 62 versus 62 in Plano, and its violent crime index is 29 versus 43, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Virginia Beach is cheaper. Median rent is $1,714 a month versus $1,841 in Plano.
The income gap between Virginia Beach and Plano is significant: $92,968 median household versus $112,253. That spread matters more if you are job hunting locally than if you are remote. Typical rent is $1,714 in Virginia Beach and $1,841 in Plano.
This is a genuine split. Virginia Beach wins on cost of living and Plano wins on the job market and weather. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
Visit both if you can. Cities reveal themselves in the ordinary moments, a Tuesday morning commute, a Saturday errand run, not on a weekend visit.
The move
Virginia Beach and Plano are 1,201 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,714 a month in Virginia Beach to $1,841 a month in Plano, up $127 a month (7%).
Median household income goes from $92,968 in Virginia Beach to $112,253 in Plano, up $19,285 (21%).
The crime index stays 62 in both cities.
The move
Plano and Virginia Beach are 1,201 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,841 a month in Plano to $1,714 a month in Virginia Beach, down $127 a month (7%).
Median household income goes from $112,253 in Plano to $92,968 in Virginia Beach, down $19,285 (17%).
The crime index stays 62 in both cities.
Virginia Beach, VA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Plano, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Virginia Beach and Plano? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
7% cheaper
Virginia Beach rent is 7% cheaper than Plano
Virginia Beach
Winner$1,714/mo
Plano
$1,841/mo
Typical rent runs $1,714 a month in Virginia Beach versus $1,841 in Plano, so Virginia Beach is 7% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $127, or $1,524 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 Plano? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
21% higher
Plano's median income is 21% higher than Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach
$92,968
Plano
Winner$112,253
Median household income is $112,253 in Plano versus $92,968 in Virginia Beach, so typical pay runs 21% higher in Plano (about $19,285 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, Plano is the stronger labor market on paper. Virginia Beach can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
Neck and neck
Virginia Beach and Plano are about even on crime index.
Virginia Beach
62 (100 = avg)
Plano
62 (100 = avg)
Virginia Beach and Plano post similar crime indexes (62 vs 62, where 100 is the national average). A small gap at the city level can still hide a huge neighborhood spread. Walk the specific block, check lighting and late-night activity, and use each city's full report for violent vs. property crime instead of stopping at the headline index.
Typical weather
20% more comfortable
Plano weather is 20% more comfortable than Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach
59°F avg · 63°F highs · comfort 83/100
Plano
Winner69°F avg · 77°F highs · comfort 100/100
Virginia Beach averages about 59°F (63°F highs); Plano averages about 69°F (77°F highs). Virginia Beach averages around 59°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Plano sits near 69°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Plano scores 20% 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 Virginia Beach 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 Virginia Beach
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.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 21% higher ($112,253), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two (around 69°F). That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Bottom line
On weather alone, Plano is the warmer market (69°F) and Virginia Beach the cooler (59°F). Typical leases run $1,841 and $1,714; choose the climate you will tolerate year-round, not just on a visit weekend.
Virginia Beach rent at $1,714/month is still below Plano's $1,841, so cost-sensitive households should weigh the lease before the paycheck.
Typical rent stays $1,714 in Virginia Beach and $1,841 in Plano.
Most movers who prioritize climate land in Plano; Virginia Beach only makes sense when 59°F matches how you want to live year-round.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Virginia Beach and Plano, plus other cities in VA and TX.
