Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clearwater, FL
VS
Glendale, AZ
🏆 Clearwater leads 16 of 23 categories
Clearwater
Florida
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,358
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
116,984
Glendale
Arizona
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,375 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
129⚠ High
Population
248,083 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clearwater, FL
Pros
19% less violent crime than Glendale
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.7%)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 31.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 105°F
Homes cost $22k less ($287,900 vs $310,000)
Cons
Median income trails Glendale by $7,017/yr
Higher rents — median is $1,389/mo
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Glendale
Glendale, AZ
Pros
Households earn $7,017 more per year on average
Rent averages $121/mo less ($1,268 vs $1,389)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Clearwater
Cons
Violent crime (488.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2670.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.7%)
Longer commutes — 28.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Clearwater
Violent Crime
19% lower
395.5 vs 488.4 per 100k
Clearwater
Median Home Value
$22k less
$287,900 vs $310,000
Clearwater
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.7% unemployment
Glendale
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 97.6 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Glendale
Median Income
$7,017
$66,375 vs $59,358/yr
Glendale
Summer Heat
14.6°F warmer
July avg high 104.9°F vs 90.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clearwater, FL | Glendale, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 97.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $287,900 ✓ Lower | $310,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,389⚠ High | $1,268 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,358 | $66,375 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 28.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 16.4% ✓ Higher | 11.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 99 ✓ Safer | 128⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 104⚠ High ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 ✓ Safer | 127⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.9% ✓ Higher | 22.6% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 84.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PINELLAS | Peoria Unified School District (4237) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 70.6°F ✓ Warmer | 65.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F | 104.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 56.1" | 8.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,984 | 248,083 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 46.0 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.8% ✓ Higher | 57.2% |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | 25.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 23.5% ✓ More | 12.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clearwater's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Glendale's 97.6 (US average = 100).
Glendale is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Clearwater leads 16 of 23 categories. Clearwater wins 16 and Glendale wins 7. 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 Clearwater to Glendale or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($287,900 vs $310,000 median home), income ($59,358 vs $66,375), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clearwater, FL and Glendale, AZ are about 1,782 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.