Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Birmingham, AL
VS
St. Petersburg, FL
🏆 St. Petersburg leads 17 of 23 categories
Birmingham
Alabama
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$42,464
Violent Crime Index
328⚠ High
Population
200,431
St. Petersburg
Florida
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$70,333 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
259,343 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Birmingham, AL
Pros
Homes cost $166k less ($123,000 vs $289,000)
Rent averages $415/mo less ($995 vs $1,410)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Petersburg
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.6)
Cons
Median income trails St. Petersburg by $27,869/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 4.6%)
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
Households earn $27,869 more per year on average
50% less violent crime than Birmingham
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.9 pts lower (4.6%)
More college-educated — 40.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 55°F
Smaller class sizes — 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,410/mo
Violent crime (619.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2458.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Birmingham
Key Differences at a Glance
Birmingham
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 92.6 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Birmingham
Median Home Value
$166k less
$123,000 vs $289,000
St. Petersburg
Median Income
$27,869
$70,333 vs $42,464/yr
St. Petersburg
Violent Crime
50% lower
619.6 vs 1246.6 per 100k
St. Petersburg
Unemployment
2.9 pp lower
4.6% vs 7.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Birmingham, AL | St. Petersburg, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.6 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $123,000 ✓ Lower | $289,000 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $995 ✓ Lower | $1,410⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $42,464 | $70,333 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter | 24.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.6% | 15.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 274⚠ High | 145⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 328⚠ High | 163⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 192⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.4% | 40.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.1% | 93.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Birmingham City | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.5°F | 69.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.1" | 46.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.4" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 200,431 | 259,343 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 42.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.9% | 62.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.5% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 16.2% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Birmingham's cost of living index is 92.6 vs St. Petersburg's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Birmingham is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Petersburg leads 17 of 23 categories. Birmingham wins 6 and St. Petersburg wins 17. 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 St. Petersburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($123,000 vs $289,000 median home), income ($42,464 vs $70,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Birmingham, AL and St. Petersburg, FL are about 468 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.