Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boston, MA
VS
Palm Coast, FL
🏆 Palm Coast leads 13 of 20 categories
Boston
Massachusetts
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$89,212 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
165⚠ High
Population
665,945 ✓ Larger
Palm Coast
Florida
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$68,824
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
91,082
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Boston, MA
Pros
Households earn $20,388 more per year on average
More college-educated — 53.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 88°F
Smaller class sizes — 10.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $684,900
Violent crime (627.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,981/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.6)
Palm Coast, FL
Pros
Homes cost $402k less ($283,300 vs $684,900)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (4.1%)
Rent averages $360/mo less ($1,621 vs $1,981)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 37°F
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Boston
Cons
Median income trails Boston by $20,388/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Boston
Median Income
$20,388
$89,212 vs $68,824/yr
Palm Coast
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 104.5 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Palm Coast
Median Home Value
$402k less
$283,300 vs $684,900
Palm Coast
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
4.1% vs 6.6% unemployment
Palm Coast
Summer Heat
5.7°F warmer
July avg high 87.8°F vs 82.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boston, MA | Palm Coast, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $684,900⚠ High | $283,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,981⚠ High | $1,621⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $89,212 ✓ Higher | $68,824 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.6 min⚠ High | 28.0 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.1% ✓ Higher | 13.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 138⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 165⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (122) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 10.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.4% ✓ Higher | 26.4% |
| High School or Higher | 88.4% | 91.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Boston | FLAGLER |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 36.8°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.1°F | 87.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.6" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 665,945 ✓ Larger | 91,082 |
| Median Age | 32.9 | 50.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.8% | 77.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.7% | 17.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 29.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boston's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Palm Coast's 104.5 (US average = 100).
Palm Coast is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Palm Coast leads 13 of 20 categories. Boston wins 7 and Palm Coast wins 13. 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 Boston to Palm Coast or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($684,900 vs $283,300 median home), income ($89,212 vs $68,824), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boston, MA and Palm Coast, FL are about 1,052 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.