Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Aurora, IL
VS
Clearwater, FL
🏆 Aurora leads 13 of 23 categories
Aurora
Illinois
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,943 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
70 ✓ Safer
Population
181,405 ✓ Larger
Clearwater
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,358
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High
Population
116,984
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Aurora, IL
Pros
Households earn $26,585 more per year on average
33% less violent crime than Clearwater
Homes cost $46k less ($241,600 vs $287,900)
More college-educated — 35.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 90°F
Cons
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.7%)
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Clearwater, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 31°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (4.7%)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Aurora by $26,585/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Aurora
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Aurora
Median Income
$26,585
$85,943 vs $59,358/yr
Aurora
Violent Crime
33% lower
266.0 vs 395.5 per 100k
Aurora
Median Home Value
$46k less
$241,600 vs $287,900
Clearwater
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.6% unemployment
Clearwater
Summer Heat
6.3°F warmer
July avg high 90.3°F vs 84.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Aurora, IL | Clearwater, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $241,600 ✓ Lower | $287,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,462⚠ High | $1,389⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,943 ✓ Higher | $59,358 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.1% | 16.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 66 ✓ Safer | 99 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 104⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 90 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.2% ✓ Higher | 31.9% |
| High School or Higher | 80.9% | 90.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Indian Prairie CUSD 204 | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 30.5°F | 70.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.0°F | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" ✓ Drier | 56.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 27.9" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 181,405 ✓ Larger | 116,984 |
| Median Age | 35.4 | 46.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 58.8% |
| Under 18 | 26.7% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 10.5% | 23.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Aurora's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Clearwater's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Aurora is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Aurora leads 13 of 23 categories. Aurora wins 13 and Clearwater wins 10. 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 Aurora to Clearwater or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($241,600 vs $287,900 median home), income ($85,943 vs $59,358), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Aurora, IL and Clearwater, FL are about 1,002 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.