Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Amarillo, TX
VS
Palm Bay, FL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Amarillo
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,628
Violent Crime Index
182⚠ High
Population
200,360 ✓ Larger
Palm Bay
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$62,538 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
91 ✓ Safer
Population
121,513
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Amarillo, TX
Pros
Rent averages $348/mo less ($997 vs $1,345)
Homes cost $54k less ($172,700 vs $226,200)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (3.5%)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Palm Bay
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Cons
Violent crime (690.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2655.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
50% less violent crime than Amarillo
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 51°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,345/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Amarillo
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 3.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Amarillo
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 100.8 (100 = US avg)
Amarillo
Median Home Value
$54k less
$172,700 vs $226,200
Amarillo
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
3.5% vs 5.7% unemployment
Palm Bay
Median Income
$1,910
$62,538 vs $60,628/yr
Palm Bay
Violent Crime
50% lower
347.2 vs 690.5 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Amarillo, TX | Palm Bay, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper | 100.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $172,700 ✓ Lower | $226,200 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $997 ✓ Lower | $1,345⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,628 | $62,538 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.5 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 7.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 160⚠ High | 74 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 182⚠ High | 91 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 25.2% ✓ Higher | 22.0% |
| High School or Higher | 86.1% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | AMARILLO ISD | BREVARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.7°F | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.0°F ✓ Warmer | 91.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.7" ✓ Drier | 60.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 200,360 ✓ Larger | 121,513 |
| Median Age | 34.4 | 41.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.6% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 26.5% ✓ More | 21.9% |
| Over 65 | 14.5% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Amarillo's cost of living index is 90.8 vs Palm Bay's 100.8 (US average = 100).
Amarillo is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Amarillo wins 11 and Palm Bay wins 11. 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 Amarillo to Palm Bay or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($172,700 vs $226,200 median home), income ($60,628 vs $62,538), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Amarillo, TX and Palm Bay, FL are about 1,339 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.