Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Lauderdale, FL
VS
Irving, TX
🏆 Irving leads 13 of 19 categories
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673
Irving
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$76,686 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
254,962 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 77°F vs 57°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 91°F vs 96°F
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)
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.1%)
Irving, TX
Pros
Homes cost $158k less ($259,500 vs $417,600)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (4.1%)
Rent averages $204/mo less ($1,423 vs $1,627)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Lauderdale
Smaller class sizes — 15.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Irving
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 103.3 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Irving
Median Income
$1,310
$76,686 vs $75,376/yr
Irving
Median Home Value
$158k less
$259,500 vs $417,600
Irving
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.1% vs 5.4% unemployment
Irving
Summer Heat
5.1°F warmer
July avg high 95.6°F vs 90.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Irving, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $417,600⚠ High | $259,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,627⚠ High | $1,423⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,376 | $76,686 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min | 23.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% | 14.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 85 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 72 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 105⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 | 15.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% | 40.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% ✓ Higher | 79.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWARD | IRVING ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer | 56.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F | 95.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 63.0" | 37.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 1.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 182,673 | 254,962 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 43.2 ✓ Older | 32.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 37.2% |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 26.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.3% ✓ More | 8.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Lauderdale's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Irving's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Irving is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Irving leads 13 of 19 categories. Fort Lauderdale wins 6 and Irving wins 13. 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 Irving or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($417,600 vs $259,500 median home), income ($75,376 vs $76,686), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Lauderdale, FL and Irving, TX are about 1,111 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.