Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Fort Lauderdale, FL
🏆 Arlington leads 11 of 20 categories
Arlington
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $62,011 more per year on average
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (2.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Lauderdale
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pros
Homes cost $416k less ($417,600 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $600/mo less ($1,627 vs $2,227)
Milder winters — January highs near 77°F vs 45°F
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $62,011/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 2.8%)
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Arlington
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 108.6 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Arlington
Median Income
$62,011
$137,387 vs $75,376/yr
Arlington
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
2.8% vs 5.4% unemployment
Fort Lauderdale
Median Home Value
$416k less
$417,600 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $417,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,627⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $75,376 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 26.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 14.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 40.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 89.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 90.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" ✓ Drier | 63.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 182,673 |
| Median Age | 35.3 | 43.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 54.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% ✓ More | 16.9% |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 19.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Fort Lauderdale's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Arlington is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Arlington leads 11 of 20 categories. Arlington wins 11 and Fort Lauderdale wins 9. 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 Fort Lauderdale or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $417,600 median home), income ($137,387 vs $75,376), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Fort Lauderdale, FL are about 898 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.