Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Brandon, FL
VS
Clearwater, FL
🏆 Brandon leads 11 of 20 categories
Brandon
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,156 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
114,923
Clearwater
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
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.
Brandon, FL
Pros
67% less violent crime than Clearwater
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $11,798 more per year on average
Homes cost $22k less ($266,400 vs $287,900)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,570/mo
Longer commutes — 28.0 min average each way
Clearwater, FL
Pros
Rent averages $181/mo less ($1,389 vs $1,570)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Brandon by $11,798/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Brandon
Median Income
$11,798
$71,156 vs $59,358/yr
Brandon
Violent Crime
67% lower
131.1 vs 395.5 per 100k
Brandon
Median Home Value
$22k less
$266,400 vs $287,900
Brandon
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 90.3°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 103.4 on the COL index
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Brandon, FL | Clearwater, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $266,400 ✓ Lower | $287,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,570⚠ High | $1,389⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,156 ✓ Higher | $59,358 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.0 min⚠ High | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.9% | 16.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 29 ✓ Safer | 99 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 104⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 90 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (96) | B (101) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.7:1 | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.0% ✓ Higher | 31.9% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% | 90.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HILLSBOROUGH | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.8°F ✓ Warmer | 70.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer | 90.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" ✓ Drier | 56.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,923 | 116,984 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.2 | 46.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.1% | 58.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.9% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 14.2% | 23.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Brandon's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Clearwater's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Brandon leads 11 of 20 categories. Brandon wins 11 and Clearwater wins 9. 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 Brandon to Clearwater or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($266,400 vs $287,900 median home), income ($71,156 vs $59,358), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Brandon, FL and Clearwater, FL are about 29 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.