Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Chandler, AZ
VS
Clearwater, FL
🏆 Chandler leads 15 of 21 categories
Chandler
Arizona
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$99,374 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
275,618 ✓ Larger
Clearwater
Florida
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,358
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High
Population
116,984
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Chandler, AZ
Pros
Households earn $40,016 more per year on average
66% less violent crime than Clearwater
Violent crime is well below the national average (133.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (3.8%)
More college-educated — 46.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Clearwater
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $423,900
Higher rents — median is $1,675/mo
Hot summers — July highs average 106°F
Clearwater, FL
Pros
Homes cost $136k less ($287,900 vs $423,900)
Rent averages $286/mo less ($1,389 vs $1,675)
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 106°F
Smaller class sizes — 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Chandler by $40,016/yr
Higher unemployment (4.7% vs 3.8%)
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Chandler
Key Differences at a Glance
Chandler
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 101.4 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Chandler
Median Income
$40,016
$99,374 vs $59,358/yr
Chandler
Violent Crime
66% lower
133.4 vs 395.5 per 100k
Chandler
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
3.8% vs 4.7% unemployment
Chandler
Summer Heat
15.6°F warmer
July avg high 105.9°F vs 90.3°F
Clearwater
Median Home Value
$136k less
$287,900 vs $423,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Chandler, AZ | Clearwater, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 101.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $423,900⚠ High | $287,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,675⚠ High | $1,389⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $99,374 ✓ Higher | $59,358 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.2 min | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 19.6% ✓ Higher | 16.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 50 ✓ Safer | 99 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 35 ✓ Safer | 104⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 ✓ Safer | 90 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (109) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.6:1 | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.2% ✓ Higher | 31.9% |
| High School or Higher | 94.2% ✓ Higher | 90.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Chandler Unified District #80 (4242) | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 70.6°F | 70.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 105.9°F ✓ Warmer | 90.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 8.7" ✓ Drier | 56.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 275,618 ✓ Larger | 116,984 |
| Median Age | 37.0 | 46.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.6% ✓ Higher | 58.8% |
| Under 18 | 23.5% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 12.5% | 23.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Chandler's cost of living index is 101.4 vs Clearwater's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Chandler is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Chandler leads 15 of 21 categories. Chandler wins 15 and Clearwater wins 6. 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 Chandler to Clearwater or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($423,900 vs $287,900 median home), income ($99,374 vs $59,358), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Chandler, AZ and Clearwater, FL are about 1,761 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.