Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Birmingham, AL
VS
Palm Bay, FL
🏆 Palm Bay leads 16 of 23 categories
Birmingham
Alabama
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$42,464
Violent Crime Index
328⚠ High
Population
200,431 ✓ Larger
Palm Bay
Florida
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$62,538 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
91 ✓ Safer
Population
121,513
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Birmingham, AL
Pros
Homes cost $103k less ($123,000 vs $226,200)
Rent averages $350/mo less ($995 vs $1,345)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 29.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Palm Bay
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.6)
Cons
Median income trails Palm Bay by $20,074/yr
Violent crime (1246.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4031.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.5% vs 5.7%)
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
72% less violent crime than Birmingham
Households earn $20,074 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (5.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 55°F
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,345/mo
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Birmingham
Key Differences at a Glance
Birmingham
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 92.6 vs 100.8 (100 = US avg)
Birmingham
Median Home Value
$103k less
$123,000 vs $226,200
Palm Bay
Median Income
$20,074
$62,538 vs $42,464/yr
Palm Bay
Violent Crime
72% lower
347.2 vs 1246.6 per 100k
Palm Bay
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
5.7% vs 7.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Birmingham, AL | Palm Bay, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.6 ✓ Cheaper | 100.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $123,000 ✓ Lower | $226,200 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $995 ✓ Lower | $1,345⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $42,464 | $62,538 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.6% | 7.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 274⚠ High | 74 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 328⚠ High | 91 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 192⚠ High | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B- (92) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.4% ✓ Higher | 22.0% |
| High School or Higher | 88.1% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Birmingham City | BREVARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.5°F | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.0°F | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.1" ✓ Drier | 60.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.4" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 200,431 ✓ Larger | 121,513 |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 41.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.9% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | 21.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.2% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Birmingham's cost of living index is 92.6 vs Palm Bay's 100.8 (US average = 100).
Birmingham is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Palm Bay leads 16 of 23 categories. Birmingham wins 7 and Palm Bay wins 16. 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 Birmingham to Palm Bay or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($123,000 vs $226,200 median home), income ($42,464 vs $62,538), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Birmingham, AL and Palm Bay, FL are about 529 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.