Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Centennial, CO
VS
Clearwater, FL
🏆 Centennial leads 12 of 23 categories
Centennial
Colorado
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,617 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
107,702
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.
Centennial, CO
Pros
Households earn $65,259 more per year on average
56% less violent crime than Clearwater
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (172.8 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (3.4%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $586,500
Higher rents — median is $1,949/mo
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Clearwater
Clearwater, FL
Pros
Homes cost $299k less ($287,900 vs $586,500)
Rent averages $560/mo less ($1,389 vs $1,949)
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 45°F
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Centennial
Cons
Median income trails Centennial by $65,259/yr
Higher unemployment (4.7% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Centennial
Median Income
$65,259
$124,617 vs $59,358/yr
Centennial
Violent Crime
56% lower
172.8 vs 395.5 per 100k
Centennial
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.7% unemployment
Clearwater
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Clearwater
Median Home Value
$299k less
$287,900 vs $586,500
Clearwater
Summer Heat
3.0°F warmer
July avg high 90.3°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Centennial, CO | Clearwater, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $586,500⚠ High | $287,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949⚠ High | $1,389⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,617 ✓ Higher | $59,358 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.2% ✓ 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 | 45 ✓ Safer | 104⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 90 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 31.9% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 90.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F | 70.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" ✓ Drier | 56.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,702 | 116,984 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.6 | 46.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 58.8% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 17.9% | 23.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Centennial's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Clearwater's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Clearwater is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Centennial leads 12 of 23 categories. Centennial wins 12 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 Centennial to Clearwater or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($586,500 vs $287,900 median home), income ($124,617 vs $59,358), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Centennial, CO and Clearwater, FL are about 1,495 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.