Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Atlanta, GA
VS
Tampa, FL
🏆 Tampa leads 15 of 23 categories
Atlanta
Georgia
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$77,655 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
221⚠ High
Population
494,838 ✓ Larger
Tampa
Florida
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,802
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
388,768
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Atlanta, GA
Pros
Households earn $10,853 more per year on average
More college-educated — 57.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 12.1:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Tampa
Cons
Violent crime (840.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $395,600
Property crime (3748.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher rents — median is $1,512/mo
Tampa, FL
Pros
47% less violent crime than Atlanta
Homes cost $62k less ($333,200 vs $395,600)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.2%)
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 54°F
Rent averages $90/mo less ($1,422 vs $1,512)
Cons
Violent crime (444.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Atlanta by $10,853/yr
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Atlanta
Key Differences at a Glance
Atlanta
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Atlanta
Median Income
$10,853
$77,655 vs $66,802/yr
Tampa
Violent Crime
47% lower
444.6 vs 840.6 per 100k
Tampa
Median Home Value
$62k less
$333,200 vs $395,600
Tampa
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.2% vs 5.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Atlanta, GA | Tampa, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $395,600⚠ High | $333,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,512⚠ High | $1,422⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $77,655 ✓ Higher | $66,802 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.5 min | 24.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.2% ✓ Higher | 16.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 204⚠ High | 98 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 221⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 178⚠ High | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (120) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.3% ✓ Higher | 43.3% |
| High School or Higher | 92.9% ✓ Higher | 89.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Atlanta Public Schools | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 53.7°F | 71.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.0°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.8" | 49.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 494,838 ✓ Larger | 388,768 |
| Median Age | 33.6 | 35.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.7% | 50.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.2% | 20.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.0% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Atlanta's cost of living index is 100.9 vs Tampa's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Atlanta is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Tampa leads 15 of 23 categories. Atlanta wins 8 and Tampa wins 15. 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 Atlanta to Tampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($395,600 vs $333,200 median home), income ($77,655 vs $66,802), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Atlanta, GA and Tampa, FL are about 417 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.