Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Elk Grove, CA
VS
Palm Bay, FL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Elk Grove
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$115,864 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
50 ✓ Safer
Population
176,105 ✓ Larger
Palm Bay
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,538
Violent Crime Index
91
Population
121,513
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Elk Grove, CA
Pros
Households earn $53,326 more per year on average
45% less violent crime than Palm Bay
Violent crime is well below the national average (189.9 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 37.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $560,500
Higher rents — median is $2,076/mo
Higher unemployment (6.4% vs 5.7%)
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Palm Bay
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
Homes cost $334k less ($226,200 vs $560,500)
Rent averages $731/mo less ($1,345 vs $2,076)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.7%)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 56°F
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Elk Grove
Cons
Median income trails Elk Grove by $53,326/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Elk Grove
Median Income
$53,326
$115,864 vs $62,538/yr
Elk Grove
Violent Crime
45% lower
189.9 vs 347.2 per 100k
Palm Bay
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 100.8 vs 108.9 (100 = US avg)
Palm Bay
Median Home Value
$334k less
$226,200 vs $560,500
Palm Bay
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.7% vs 6.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Elk Grove, CA | Palm Bay, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.9⚠ High | 100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $560,500⚠ High | $226,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,076⚠ High | $1,345⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $115,864 ✓ Higher | $62,538 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.1 min⚠ High | 27.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.7% ✓ Higher | 7.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 53 ✓ Safer | 74 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 50 ✓ Safer | 91 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 59 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (96) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.7:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.0% ✓ Higher | 22.0% |
| High School or Higher | 90.7% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Elk Grove Unified | BREVARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 56.0°F | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.6°F ✓ Warmer | 91.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.1" ✓ Drier | 60.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 176,105 ✓ Larger | 121,513 |
| Median Age | 38.7 | 41.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.8% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 25.9% ✓ More | 21.9% |
| Over 65 | 13.3% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Elk Grove's cost of living index is 108.9 vs Palm Bay's 100.8 (US average = 100).
Palm Bay is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Elk Grove wins 11 and Palm Bay wins 11. 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 Elk Grove to Palm Bay or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($560,500 vs $226,200 median home), income ($115,864 vs $62,538), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Elk Grove, CA and Palm Bay, FL are about 2,441 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.