Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, TX
VS
St. Petersburg, FL
🏆 Arlington leads 12 of 23 categories
Arlington
Texas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$71,736 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
393,469 ✓ Larger
St. Petersburg
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$70,333
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
259,343
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, TX
Pros
22% less violent crime than St. Petersburg
Homes cost $38k less ($251,300 vs $289,000)
Rent averages $113/mo less ($1,297 vs $1,410)
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (482.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.6%)
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.6%)
More college-educated — 40.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 58°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 96°F
Cons
Violent crime (619.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2458.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher rents — median is $1,410/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$1,403
$71,736 vs $70,333/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
22% lower
482.9 vs 619.6 per 100k
Arlington
Median Home Value
$38k less
$251,300 vs $289,000
Arlington
Summer Heat
6.3°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 89.6°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 103.3 on the COL index
St. Petersburg
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, TX | St. Petersburg, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $251,300 ✓ Lower | $289,000 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,297 ✓ Lower | $1,410⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,736 ✓ Higher | $70,333 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.9 min | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% | 15.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 122⚠ High ✓ Safer | 145⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 32.4% | 40.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 85.9% | 93.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ARLINGTON ISD | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 57.9°F | 69.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.2" ✓ Drier | 46.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 393,469 ✓ Larger | 259,343 |
| Median Age | 33.1 | 42.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.9% | 62.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 25.3% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 11.1% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 103.3 vs St. Petersburg's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Arlington is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 12 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 12 and St. Petersburg 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 St. Petersburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($251,300 vs $289,000 median home), income ($71,736 vs $70,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, TX and St. Petersburg, FL are about 928 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.