Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clearwater, FL
VS
Miami Gardens, FL
🏆 Clearwater leads 19 of 22 categories
Clearwater
Florida
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,358 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
116,984 ✓ Larger
Miami Gardens
Florida
3
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$56,071
Violent Crime Index
109⚠ High
Population
111,618
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clearwater, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.2 pts lower (4.7%)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Rent averages $194/mo less ($1,389 vs $1,583)
More college-educated — 31.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Miami Gardens
Households earn $3,287 more per year on average
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Miami Gardens, FL
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,583/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Higher unemployment (7.9% vs 4.7%)
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Clearwater
Key Differences at a Glance
Clearwater
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Clearwater
Median Income
$3,287
$59,358 vs $56,071/yr
Clearwater
Violent Crime
5% lower
395.5 vs 414.6 per 100k
Clearwater
Median Home Value
$12k less
$287,900 vs $299,700
Clearwater
Unemployment
3.2 pp lower
4.7% vs 7.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clearwater, FL | Miami Gardens, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $287,900 ✓ Lower | $299,700 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,389⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,583⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,358 ✓ Higher | $56,071 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 32.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 16.4% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 99 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 104⚠ High ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 ✓ Safer | 116⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.9% ✓ Higher | 17.7% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 82.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PINELLAS | MIAMI-DADE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 70.6°F | 75.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 56.1" ✓ Drier | 68.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,984 ✓ Larger | 111,618 |
| Median Age | 46.0 ✓ Older | 38.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.8% | 64.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 23.5% ✓ More | 16.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clearwater's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Miami Gardens's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Clearwater is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Clearwater leads 19 of 22 categories. Clearwater wins 19 and Miami Gardens wins 3. 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 Miami Gardens or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($287,900 vs $299,700 median home), income ($59,358 vs $56,071), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clearwater, FL and Miami Gardens, FL are about 210 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.