Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clearwater, FL
VS
Palm Bay, FL
🏆 Palm Bay leads 12 of 22 categories
Clearwater
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,358
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High
Population
116,984
Palm Bay
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,538 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
91 ✓ Safer
Population
121,513 ✓ Larger
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 1.0 pts lower (4.7%)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 31.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Palm Bay by $3,180/yr
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Palm Bay
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
12% less violent crime than Clearwater
Homes cost $62k less ($226,200 vs $287,900)
Households earn $3,180 more per year on average
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Clearwater
Cons
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Clearwater
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.7% unemployment
Palm Bay
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 100.8 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Palm Bay
Median Income
$3,180
$62,538 vs $59,358/yr
Palm Bay
Violent Crime
12% lower
347.2 vs 395.5 per 100k
Palm Bay
Median Home Value
$62k less
$226,200 vs $287,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clearwater, FL | Palm Bay, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $287,900 | $226,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,389⚠ High | $1,345⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,358 | $62,538 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 16.4% ✓ Higher | 7.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 99 | 74 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 104⚠ High | 91 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 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 | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.9% ✓ Higher | 22.0% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PINELLAS | BREVARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 70.6°F | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 56.1" ✓ Drier | 60.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,984 | 121,513 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 46.0 ✓ Older | 41.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.8% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | 21.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 23.5% ✓ More | 19.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clearwater's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Palm Bay's 100.8 (US average = 100).
Palm Bay is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Palm Bay leads 12 of 22 categories. Clearwater wins 10 and Palm Bay wins 12. 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 Palm Bay or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($287,900 vs $226,200 median home), income ($59,358 vs $62,538), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clearwater, FL and Palm Bay, FL are about 129 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.