Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, TX
VS
Palm Bay, FL
🏆 Arlington leads 12 of 23 categories
Arlington
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,736 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
393,469 ✓ Larger
Palm Bay
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,538
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.
Arlington, TX
Pros
Households earn $9,198 more per year on average
More college-educated — 32.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (482.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Palm Bay
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
28% less violent crime than Arlington
Homes cost $25k less ($226,200 vs $251,300)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 58°F
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $9,198/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$9,198
$71,736 vs $62,538/yr
Arlington
Summer Heat
4.6°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 91.3°F
Palm Bay
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 100.8 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Palm Bay
Violent Crime
28% lower
347.2 vs 482.9 per 100k
Palm Bay
Median Home Value
$25k less
$226,200 vs $251,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, TX | Palm Bay, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $251,300 | $226,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,297 ✓ Lower | $1,345⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,736 ✓ Higher | $62,538 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.9 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% ✓ Higher | 7.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 122⚠ High | 74 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High | 91 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 32.4% ✓ Higher | 22.0% |
| High School or Higher | 85.9% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ARLINGTON ISD | BREVARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.9°F | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer | 91.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.2" ✓ Drier | 60.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 393,469 ✓ Larger | 121,513 |
| Median Age | 33.1 | 41.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.9% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 25.3% ✓ More | 21.9% |
| Over 65 | 11.1% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Palm Bay's 100.8 (US average = 100).
Palm Bay is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 12 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 12 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 Arlington to Palm Bay or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($251,300 vs $226,200 median home), income ($71,736 vs $62,538), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, TX and Palm Bay, FL are about 1,034 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.