Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
St. Petersburg, FL
🏆 College Station leads 13 of 22 categories
College Station
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
120,451
St. Petersburg
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$70,333 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
259,343 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
College Station, TX
Pros
72% less violent crime than St. Petersburg
Rent averages $281/mo less ($1,129 vs $1,410)
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
13% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Petersburg
Cons
Median income trails St. Petersburg by $17,936/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $305,800
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
Households earn $17,936 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 62°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 95°F
Homes cost $17k less ($289,000 vs $305,800)
Cons
Violent crime (619.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,410/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than College Station
Property crime (2458.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
College Station
Violent Crime
72% lower
170.5 vs 619.6 per 100k
College Station
Summer Heat
5.8°F warmer
July avg high 95.4°F vs 89.6°F
St. Petersburg
Median Income
$17,936
$70,333 vs $52,397/yr
St. Petersburg
Median Home Value
$17k less
$289,000 vs $305,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | St. Petersburg, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High | $289,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 ✓ Lower | $1,410⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $70,333 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 24.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% | 15.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 145⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 40.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 93.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F | 69.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" ✓ Drier | 46.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 | 259,343 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 42.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 62.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs St. Petersburg's 103.4 (US average = 100).
College Station is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, College Station leads 13 of 22 categories. College Station wins 13 and St. Petersburg wins 9. 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 College Station to St. Petersburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $289,000 median home), income ($52,397 vs $70,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and St. Petersburg, FL are about 846 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.