Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Lauderdale, FL
VS
Houston, TX
🏆 Fort Lauderdale leads 10 of 19 categories
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673
Houston
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,440
Violent Crime Index
302⚠ High
Population
2,296,253 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pros
Households earn $14,936 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (5.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 77°F vs 63°F
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $417,600
Higher rents — median is $1,627/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Houston
Houston, TX
Pros
Homes cost $183k less ($235,000 vs $417,600)
Rent averages $392/mo less ($1,235 vs $1,627)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Lauderdale
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1148.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Fort Lauderdale by $14,936/yr
Property crime (4293.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 5.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Lauderdale
Median Income
$14,936
$75,376 vs $60,440/yr
Fort Lauderdale
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.6% unemployment
Houston
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Houston
Median Home Value
$183k less
$235,000 vs $417,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Houston, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $417,600⚠ High | $235,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,627⚠ High | $1,235 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,376 ✓ Higher | $60,440 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min ✓ Shorter | 27.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% ✓ Higher | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 263⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 302⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 204⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | B (100) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 35.2% |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% ✓ Higher | 79.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWARD | HOUSTON ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer | 62.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F | 93.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 63.0" | 55.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 182,673 | 2,296,253 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 43.2 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 42.0% |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 23.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.3% ✓ More | 11.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Lauderdale's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Houston's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Houston is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Fort Lauderdale leads 10 of 19 categories. Fort Lauderdale wins 10 and Houston 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 Fort Lauderdale to Houston or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($417,600 vs $235,000 median home), income ($75,376 vs $60,440), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Lauderdale, FL and Houston, TX are about 963 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.