Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Carlsbad, CA
VS
Clearwater, FL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Carlsbad
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$134,139 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
114,745
Clearwater
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
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.
Carlsbad, CA
Pros
Households earn $74,781 more per year on average
50% less violent crime than Clearwater
More college-educated — 59.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (199.1 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 74°F vs 90°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,070,500
Higher rents — median is $2,477/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Higher unemployment (6.0% vs 4.7%)
Clearwater, FL
Pros
Homes cost $783k less ($287,900 vs $1,070,500)
Rent averages $1088/mo less ($1,389 vs $2,477)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (4.7%)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Carlsbad
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 65°F
Cons
Median income trails Carlsbad by $74,781/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Carlsbad
Median Income
$74,781
$134,139 vs $59,358/yr
Carlsbad
Violent Crime
50% lower
199.1 vs 395.5 per 100k
Clearwater
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Clearwater
Median Home Value
$783k less
$287,900 vs $1,070,500
Clearwater
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.7% vs 6.0% unemployment
Clearwater
Summer Heat
16.1°F warmer
July avg high 90.3°F vs 74.2°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Carlsbad, CA | Clearwater, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,070,500⚠ High | $287,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,477⚠ High | $1,389⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $134,139 ✓ Higher | $59,358 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0%⚠ High | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.5 min⚠ High | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 24.8% ✓ Higher | 16.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 99 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 ✓ Safer | 104⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 ✓ Safer | 90 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.7:1 | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.5% ✓ Higher | 31.9% |
| High School or Higher | 95.1% ✓ Higher | 90.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Carlsbad Unified | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.0°F | 70.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 74.2°F | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.4" ✓ Drier | 56.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,745 | 116,984 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 42.4 | 46.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.2% ✓ Higher | 58.8% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 17.8% | 23.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Carlsbad's cost of living index is 111.5 vs Clearwater's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Clearwater is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Carlsbad wins 11 and Clearwater wins 11. 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 Carlsbad to Clearwater or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,070,500 vs $287,900 median home), income ($134,139 vs $59,358), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Carlsbad, CA and Clearwater, FL are about 2,075 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.