Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Brandon, FL
VS
St. Petersburg, FL
🏆 St. Petersburg leads 12 of 20 categories
Brandon
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,156 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
114,923
St. Petersburg
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$70,333
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
259,343 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Brandon, FL
Pros
79% less violent crime than St. Petersburg
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $23k less ($266,400 vs $289,000)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 69°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,570/mo
Longer commutes — 28.0 min average each way
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
Rent averages $160/mo less ($1,410 vs $1,570)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 40.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
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
Key Differences at a Glance
Brandon
Median Income
$823
$71,156 vs $70,333/yr
Brandon
Violent Crime
79% lower
131.1 vs 619.6 per 100k
Brandon
Median Home Value
$23k less
$266,400 vs $289,000
Brandon
Summer Heat
4.2°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 89.6°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 103.4 on the COL index
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Brandon, FL | St. Petersburg, 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 | $289,000 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,570⚠ High | $1,410⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,156 ✓ Higher | $70,333 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.0 min⚠ High | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.9% | 15.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 29 ✓ Safer | 145⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 21 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (96) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.7:1 | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.0% | 40.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% | 93.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HILLSBOROUGH | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.8°F ✓ Warmer | 69.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.1" | 46.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,923 | 259,343 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.2 | 42.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.1% | 62.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.9% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 14.2% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Brandon's cost of living index is 103.4 vs St. Petersburg's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, St. Petersburg leads 12 of 20 categories. Brandon wins 8 and St. Petersburg wins 12. 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 St. Petersburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($266,400 vs $289,000 median home), income ($71,156 vs $70,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Brandon, FL and St. Petersburg, FL are about 24 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.