Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charlotte, NC
VS
Tampa, FL
🏆 Charlotte leads 14 of 23 categories
Charlotte
North Carolina
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,070 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
193⚠ High
Population
875,045 ✓ Larger
Tampa
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,802
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
388,768
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charlotte, NC
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (4.7%)
Households earn $7,268 more per year on average
More college-educated — 46.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Tampa
Homes cost $20k less ($312,800 vs $333,200)
Smaller class sizes — 16.5:1 student-teacher ratio
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
Tampa, FL
Pros
39% less violent crime than Charlotte
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 52°F
Cons
Violent crime (444.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Charlotte by $7,268/yr
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Charlotte
Pricier housing — median home is $333,200
Key Differences at a Glance
Charlotte
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 97.0 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Charlotte
Median Income
$7,268
$74,070 vs $66,802/yr
Charlotte
Median Home Value
$20k less
$312,800 vs $333,200
Charlotte
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.2% unemployment
Tampa
Violent Crime
39% lower
444.6 vs 733.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Tampa, 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 ✓ Lower | $333,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,399⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,422⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,070 ✓ Higher | $66,802 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min | 24.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 16.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 186⚠ High | 98 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 193⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 176⚠ High | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.6% ✓ Higher | 43.3% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% ✓ Higher | 89.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.3°F | 71.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.8" ✓ Drier | 49.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 875,045 ✓ Larger | 388,768 |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 35.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.1% ✓ Higher | 50.5% |
| Under 18 | 22.9% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charlotte's cost of living index is 97.0 vs Tampa's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Charlotte is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charlotte leads 14 of 23 categories. Charlotte wins 14 and Tampa 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 Charlotte to Tampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($312,800 vs $333,200 median home), income ($74,070 vs $66,802), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charlotte, NC and Tampa, FL are about 510 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.