Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bend, OR
VS
Clearwater, FL
🏆 Bend leads 13 of 23 categories
Bend
Oregon
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,671 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
99,442
Clearwater
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,358
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High
Population
116,984 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bend, OR
Pros
57% less violent crime than Clearwater
Households earn $23,313 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (168.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (3.8%)
More college-educated — 48.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $576,900
Higher rents — median is $1,649/mo
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Clearwater
Clearwater, FL
Pros
Homes cost $289k less ($287,900 vs $576,900)
Rent averages $260/mo less ($1,389 vs $1,649)
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 43°F
Smaller class sizes — 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Bend
Cons
Median income trails Bend by $23,313/yr
Higher unemployment (4.7% vs 3.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bend
Median Income
$23,313
$82,671 vs $59,358/yr
Bend
Violent Crime
57% lower
168.5 vs 395.5 per 100k
Bend
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
3.8% vs 4.7% unemployment
Clearwater
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 105.8 (100 = US avg)
Clearwater
Median Home Value
$289k less
$287,900 vs $576,900
Clearwater
Summer Heat
6.5°F warmer
July avg high 90.3°F vs 83.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bend, OR | Clearwater, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.8⚠ High | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $576,900⚠ High | $287,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,649⚠ High | $1,389⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,671 ✓ Higher | $59,358 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.1 min ✓ Shorter | 22.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 19.0% ✓ Higher | 16.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 53 ✓ Safer | 99 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 104⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 90 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.0:1 | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.4% ✓ Higher | 31.9% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 90.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bend-LaPine Administrative SD 1 | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.5°F | 70.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.8°F | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.6" ✓ Drier | 56.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,442 | 116,984 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.5 | 46.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.2% ✓ Higher | 58.8% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 17.0% | 23.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bend's cost of living index is 105.8 vs Clearwater's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Clearwater is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bend leads 13 of 23 categories. Bend 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 Bend to Clearwater or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($576,900 vs $287,900 median home), income ($82,671 vs $59,358), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bend, OR and Clearwater, FL are about 2,394 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.