Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cedar Rapids, IA
VS
Palm Bay, FL
🏆 Cedar Rapids leads 14 of 23 categories
Cedar Rapids
Iowa
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,895 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
69 ✓ Safer
Population
136,929 ✓ Larger
Palm Bay
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$62,538
Violent Crime Index
91
Population
121,513
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cedar Rapids, IA
Pros
Rent averages $459/mo less ($886 vs $1,345)
25% less violent crime than Palm Bay
Homes cost $58k less ($167,900 vs $226,200)
Violent crime is well below the national average (261.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (3.9%)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Cons
Property crime (2689.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 28°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,345/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Cedar Rapids
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 3.9%)
Median income trails Cedar Rapids by $4,357/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Cedar Rapids
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 90.0 vs 100.8 (100 = US avg)
Cedar Rapids
Median Income
$4,357
$66,895 vs $62,538/yr
Cedar Rapids
Violent Crime
25% lower
261.5 vs 347.2 per 100k
Cedar Rapids
Median Home Value
$58k less
$167,900 vs $226,200
Cedar Rapids
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
3.9% vs 5.7% unemployment
Palm Bay
Summer Heat
8.5°F warmer
July avg high 91.3°F vs 82.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cedar Rapids, IA | Palm Bay, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.0 ✓ Cheaper | 100.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $167,900 ✓ Lower | $226,200 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $886 ✓ Lower | $1,345⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $66,895 ✓ Higher | $62,538 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.8 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 10.6% ✓ Higher | 7.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 93 | 74 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 69 ✓ Safer | 91 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 128⚠ High | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 32.9% ✓ Higher | 22.0% |
| High School or Higher | 94.0% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cedar Rapids Comm School District | BREVARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 27.9°F | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.8°F | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.9" ✓ Drier | 60.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 136,929 ✓ Larger | 121,513 |
| Median Age | 37.0 | 41.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.6% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | 21.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.2% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cedar Rapids's cost of living index is 90.0 vs Palm Bay's 100.8 (US average = 100).
Cedar Rapids is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cedar Rapids leads 14 of 23 categories. Cedar Rapids wins 14 and Palm Bay 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 Cedar Rapids to Palm Bay or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($167,900 vs $226,200 median home), income ($66,895 vs $62,538), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cedar Rapids, IA and Palm Bay, FL are about 1,149 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.