Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charlotte, NC
VS
St. Petersburg, FL
🏆 St. Petersburg leads 13 of 23 categories
Charlotte
North Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,070 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
193⚠ High
Population
875,045 ✓ Larger
St. Petersburg
Florida
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$70,333
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
259,343
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charlotte, NC
Pros
More college-educated — 46.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
6% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Petersburg
Households earn $3,737 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (733.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3705.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Pricier housing — median home is $312,800
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
15% less violent crime than Charlotte
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 52°F
Homes cost $24k less ($289,000 vs $312,800)
Cons
Violent crime (619.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2458.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Charlotte
Median income trails Charlotte by $3,737/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Charlotte
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 97.0 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Charlotte
Median Income
$3,737
$74,070 vs $70,333/yr
St. Petersburg
Violent Crime
15% lower
619.6 vs 733.2 per 100k
St. Petersburg
Median Home Value
$24k less
$289,000 vs $312,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | St. Petersburg, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.0 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $312,800⚠ High | $289,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,399⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,410⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,070 ✓ Higher | $70,333 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 15.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 186⚠ High | 145⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 193⚠ High | 163⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 176⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.6% ✓ Higher | 40.6% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% | 93.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.3°F | 69.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.8" ✓ Drier | 46.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 875,045 ✓ Larger | 259,343 |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 42.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.1% | 62.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.9% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charlotte's cost of living index is 97.0 vs St. Petersburg's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Charlotte is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Petersburg leads 13 of 23 categories. Charlotte wins 10 and St. Petersburg wins 13. 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 Charlotte to St. Petersburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($312,800 vs $289,000 median home), income ($74,070 vs $70,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charlotte, NC and St. Petersburg, FL are about 525 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.