Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clarksville, TN
VS
Lakeland, FL
🏆 Lakeland leads 13 of 22 categories
Clarksville
Tennessee
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,688 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
108⚠ High
Population
167,882 ✓ Larger
Lakeland
Florida
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$58,290
Violent Crime Index
15 ✓ Safer
Population
114,404
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clarksville, TN
Pros
Rent averages $98/mo less ($1,119 vs $1,217)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.3)
Households earn $4,398 more per year on average
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Lakeland
Cons
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 5.4%)
Lakeland, FL
Pros
86% less violent crime than Clarksville
Violent crime is well below the national average (56.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (5.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 74°F vs 47°F
Cons
Median income trails Clarksville by $4,398/yr
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Clarksville
Key Differences at a Glance
Clarksville
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 94.3 vs 100.7 (100 = US avg)
Clarksville
Median Income
$4,398
$62,688 vs $58,290/yr
Lakeland
Violent Crime
86% lower
56.0 vs 410.0 per 100k
Lakeland
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clarksville, TN | Lakeland, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.3 ✓ Cheaper | 100.7⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $213,200 | $207,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,119 ✓ Lower | $1,217 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $62,688 ✓ Higher | $58,290 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.7 min | 23.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.1% | 8.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 96 | 15 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | 15 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 78 | 17 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 19.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.9% ✓ Higher | 26.7% |
| High School or Higher | 94.3% ✓ Higher | 90.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Montgomery County | POLK |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.8°F | 73.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.9°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.5" | 52.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 167,882 ✓ Larger | 114,404 |
| Median Age | 30.1 | 40.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.0% ✓ Higher | 54.8% |
| Under 18 | 26.9% ✓ More | 18.8% |
| Over 65 | 8.8% | 21.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clarksville's cost of living index is 94.3 vs Lakeland's 100.7 (US average = 100).
Clarksville is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Lakeland leads 13 of 22 categories. Clarksville wins 9 and Lakeland 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 Clarksville to Lakeland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,200 vs $207,800 median home), income ($62,688 vs $58,290), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clarksville, TN and Lakeland, FL are about 667 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.