Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Palm Coast, FL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Cambridge
Massachusetts
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,539 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
117,962 ✓ Larger
Palm Coast
Florida
10
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.
Cambridge, MA
Pros
Households earn $52,715 more per year on average
More college-educated — 79.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (3.3%)
Smaller class sizes — 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $997,600
Higher rents — median is $2,628/mo
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.6)
Palm Coast, FL
Pros
Homes cost $714k less ($283,300 vs $997,600)
Rent averages $1007/mo less ($1,621 vs $2,628)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 37°F
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Cambridge
Cons
Median income trails Cambridge by $52,715/yr
Higher unemployment (4.1% vs 3.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cambridge
Median Income
$52,715
$121,539 vs $68,824/yr
Cambridge
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
3.3% vs 4.1% unemployment
Palm Coast
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 104.5 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Palm Coast
Median Home Value
$714k less
$283,300 vs $997,600
Palm Coast
Summer Heat
3.1°F warmer
July avg high 87.8°F vs 84.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, 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 | $997,600⚠ High | $283,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High | $1,621⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 ✓ Higher | $68,824 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% ✓ Lower | 4.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min ✓ Shorter | 28.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 13.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 26.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 91.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | FLAGLER |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F | 87.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 ✓ Larger | 91,082 |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 50.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 77.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 17.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% | 29.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge'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, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Cambridge wins 10 and Palm Coast wins 10. 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 Cambridge to Palm Coast or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $283,300 median home), income ($121,539 vs $68,824), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Palm Coast, FL are about 1,051 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.