Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Beaverton, OR
VS
Lakeland, FL
🏆 Lakeland leads 14 of 23 categories
Beaverton
Oregon
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$88,899 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
96
Population
97,554
Lakeland
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,290
Violent Crime Index
15 ✓ Safer
Population
114,404 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Beaverton, OR
Pros
Households earn $30,609 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (3.9%)
More college-educated — 48.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 92°F
Smaller class sizes — 17.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $494,700
Higher rents — median is $1,663/mo
Property crime (2661.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Lakeland
Lakeland, FL
Pros
Homes cost $287k less ($207,800 vs $494,700)
85% less violent crime than Beaverton
Rent averages $446/mo less ($1,217 vs $1,663)
Violent crime is well below the national average (56.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 74°F vs 49°F
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Beaverton
Cons
Median income trails Beaverton by $30,609/yr
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 3.9%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Beaverton
Median Income
$30,609
$88,899 vs $58,290/yr
Beaverton
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
3.9% vs 5.4% unemployment
Lakeland
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 100.7 vs 106.6 (100 = US avg)
Lakeland
Violent Crime
85% lower
56.0 vs 364.8 per 100k
Lakeland
Median Home Value
$287k less
$207,800 vs $494,700
Lakeland
Summer Heat
9.8°F warmer
July avg high 92.1°F vs 82.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Beaverton, OR | Lakeland, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.6⚠ High | 100.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $494,700⚠ High | $207,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,663⚠ High | $1,217 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $88,899 ✓ Higher | $58,290 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min | 23.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 17.7% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 108⚠ High | 15 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 15 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High | 17 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (109) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.3% ✓ Higher | 26.7% |
| High School or Higher | 94.5% ✓ Higher | 90.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Beaverton SD 48J | POLK |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.7°F | 73.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.3°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.0" ✓ Drier | 52.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 97,554 | 114,404 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.7 | 40.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.3% | 54.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% ✓ More | 18.8% |
| Over 65 | 14.4% | 21.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Beaverton's cost of living index is 106.6 vs Lakeland's 100.7 (US average = 100).
Lakeland is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lakeland leads 14 of 23 categories. Beaverton wins 9 and Lakeland 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 Beaverton to Lakeland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($494,700 vs $207,800 median home), income ($88,899 vs $58,290), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Beaverton, OR and Lakeland, FL are about 2,526 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.