Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clarksville, TN
VS
Clearwater, FL
🏆 Clearwater leads 11 of 21 categories
Clarksville
Tennessee
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,688 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
108⚠ High
Population
167,882 ✓ Larger
Clearwater
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,358
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
116,984
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clarksville, TN
Pros
Homes cost $75k less ($213,200 vs $287,900)
Rent averages $270/mo less ($1,119 vs $1,389)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Clearwater
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.3)
Households earn $3,330 more per year on average
Cons
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 4.7%)
Clearwater, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (4.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 47°F
More college-educated — 31.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,389/mo
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Clarksville
Median income trails Clarksville by $3,330/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Clarksville
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 94.3 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Clarksville
Median Income
$3,330
$62,688 vs $59,358/yr
Clarksville
Median Home Value
$75k less
$213,200 vs $287,900
Clearwater
Violent Crime
4% lower
395.5 vs 410.0 per 100k
Clearwater
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
4.7% vs 6.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clarksville, TN | Clearwater, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.3 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $213,200 ✓ Lower | $287,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,119 ✓ Lower | $1,389⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $62,688 ✓ Higher | $59,358 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.7 min | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.1% | 16.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 96 ✓ Safer | 99 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 104⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 ✓ Safer | 90 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 15.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.9% | 31.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 94.3% ✓ Higher | 90.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Montgomery County | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.8°F | 70.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.9°F | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.5" ✓ Drier | 56.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 167,882 ✓ Larger | 116,984 |
| Median Age | 30.1 | 46.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.0% | 58.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 26.9% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 8.8% | 23.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clarksville's cost of living index is 94.3 vs Clearwater's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Clarksville is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Clearwater leads 11 of 21 categories. Clarksville wins 10 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 Clarksville to Clearwater or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,200 vs $287,900 median home), income ($62,688 vs $59,358), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clarksville, TN and Clearwater, FL are about 650 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.