Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Athens-Clarke County, GA
VS
Brandon, FL
🏆 Brandon leads 14 of 23 categories
Athens-Clarke County
Georgia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,798
Violent Crime Index
107⚠ High
Population
126,672 ✓ Larger
Brandon
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,156 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
114,923
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Athens-Clarke County, GA
Pros
Rent averages $525/mo less ($1,045 vs $1,570)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 48.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Brandon
Homes cost $24k less ($242,300 vs $266,400)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Cons
Median income trails Brandon by $23,358/yr
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.6%)
Brandon, FL
Pros
68% less violent crime than Athens-Clarke County
Households earn $23,358 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (4.6%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 55°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,570/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Athens-Clarke County
Longer commutes — 28.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Athens-Clarke County
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Athens-Clarke County
Median Home Value
$24k less
$242,300 vs $266,400
Brandon
Median Income
$23,358
$71,156 vs $47,798/yr
Brandon
Violent Crime
68% lower
131.1 vs 406.1 per 100k
Brandon
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Athens-Clarke County, GA | Brandon, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $242,300 ✓ Lower | $266,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,045 ✓ Lower | $1,570⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $47,798 | $71,156 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.0 min ✓ Shorter | 28.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 10.8% | 13.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 107⚠ High | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 107⚠ High | 35 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 21 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (123) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 10.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.0% ✓ Higher | 34.0% |
| High School or Higher | 89.8% | 90.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clarke County | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.7°F | 74.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.0°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.0" ✓ Drier | 55.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 126,672 ✓ Larger | 114,923 |
| Median Age | 28.7 | 37.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.6% | 55.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 19.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.5% | 14.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Athens-Clarke County's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Brandon's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Athens-Clarke County is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Brandon leads 14 of 23 categories. Athens-Clarke County wins 9 and Brandon wins 14. 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 Athens-Clarke County to Brandon or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($242,300 vs $266,400 median home), income ($47,798 vs $71,156), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Athens-Clarke County, GA and Brandon, FL are about 420 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
Related Comparisons
Athens-Clarke County, GA vs South Fulton, GA
Brandon, FL vs Lakeland, FL
Athens-Clarke County, GA vs Sandy Springs, GA
Brandon, FL vs Spring Hill, FL
Athens-Clarke County, GA vs Savannah, GA
Brandon, FL vs Clearwater, FL
Athens-Clarke County, GA vs Macon-Bibb County, GA
Brandon, FL vs West Palm Beach, FL