Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Alafaya, FL
VS
Tampa, FL
🏆 Alafaya leads 12 of 19 categories
Alafaya
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.1⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$93,251 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
91,531
Tampa
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,802
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High
Population
388,768 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Alafaya, FL
Pros
Households earn $26,449 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (4.4%)
More college-educated — 47.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 18.0:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Tampa
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,768/mo
Longer commutes — 30.9 min average each way
Pricier housing — median home is $361,800
Tampa, FL
Pros
Rent averages $346/mo less ($1,422 vs $1,768)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Homes cost $29k less ($333,200 vs $361,800)
Cons
Median income trails Alafaya by $26,449/yr
Violent crime (444.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 4.4%)
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Alafaya
Key Differences at a Glance
Alafaya
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 101.1 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Alafaya
Median Income
$26,449
$93,251 vs $66,802/yr
Alafaya
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.2% unemployment
Tampa
Median Home Value
$29k less
$333,200 vs $361,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Alafaya, FL | Tampa, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 101.1⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $361,800⚠ High | $333,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,768⚠ High | $1,422⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $93,251 ✓ Higher | $66,802 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.9 min⚠ High | 24.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.2% ✓ Higher | 16.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 98 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 70 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 47.9% ✓ Higher | 43.3% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 89.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ORANGE | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 71.2°F | 71.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.9°F ✓ Warmer | 91.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 56.2" | 49.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,531 | 388,768 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.9 ✓ Older | 35.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.4% ✓ Higher | 50.5% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 10.8% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Alafaya's cost of living index is 101.1 vs Tampa's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Alafaya is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Alafaya leads 12 of 19 categories. Alafaya wins 12 and Tampa wins 7. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Alafaya to Tampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($361,800 vs $333,200 median home), income ($93,251 vs $66,802), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Alafaya, FL and Tampa, FL are about 88 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.