Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Lauderdale, FL
VS
Longmont, CO
🏆 Longmont leads 13 of 20 categories
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673 ✓ Larger
Longmont
Colorado
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$89,720 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High
Population
98,282
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 45°F
Homes cost $71k less ($417,600 vs $488,100)
Cons
Median income trails Longmont by $14,344/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.1%)
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Longmont
Longmont, CO
Pros
Households earn $14,344 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (4.1%)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Lauderdale
More college-educated — 46.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 16.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (469.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $488,100
Property crime (2618.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 47" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Lauderdale
Median Home Value
$71k less
$417,600 vs $488,100
Longmont
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Longmont
Median Income
$14,344
$89,720 vs $75,376/yr
Longmont
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.1% vs 5.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Longmont, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $417,600⚠ High ✓ Lower | $488,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,627⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,689⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,376 | $89,720 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% | 17.2% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 124⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 125⚠ 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 | 16.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% | 46.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% | 92.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWARD | St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1J |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer | 44.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F | 90.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 63.0" | 16.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 47.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 182,673 ✓ Larger | 98,282 |
| Median Age | 43.2 ✓ Older | 39.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 63.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 20.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.3% ✓ More | 17.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Lauderdale's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Longmont's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Longmont is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Longmont leads 13 of 20 categories. Fort Lauderdale wins 7 and Longmont 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 Longmont or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($417,600 vs $488,100 median home), income ($75,376 vs $89,720), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Lauderdale, FL and Longmont, CO are about 1,729 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.