Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Lauderdale, FL
VS
Miami Gardens, FL
🏆 Fort Lauderdale leads 13 of 18 categories
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673 ✓ Larger
Miami Gardens
Florida
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$56,071
Violent Crime Index
109⚠ High
Population
111,618
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pros
Households earn $19,305 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (5.4%)
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $417,600
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Miami Gardens, FL
Pros
Homes cost $118k less ($299,700 vs $417,600)
Smaller class sizes — 19.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fort Lauderdale by $19,305/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Higher unemployment (7.9% vs 5.4%)
Longer commutes — 32.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Lauderdale
Median Income
$19,305
$75,376 vs $56,071/yr
Fort Lauderdale
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
5.4% vs 7.9% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 111.8 on the COL index
Miami Gardens
Median Home Value
$118k less
$299,700 vs $417,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Miami Gardens, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $417,600⚠ High | $299,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,627⚠ High | $1,583⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,376 ✓ Higher | $56,071 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min ✓ Shorter | 32.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 112⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 109⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 116⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 | 19.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 17.7% |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% ✓ Higher | 82.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWARD | MIAMI-DADE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer | 75.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 63.0" ✓ Drier | 68.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 182,673 ✓ Larger | 111,618 |
| Median Age | 43.2 ✓ Older | 38.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 64.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.3% ✓ More | 16.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Lauderdale's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Miami Gardens's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 18 decided categories above, Fort Lauderdale leads 13 of 18 categories. Fort Lauderdale wins 13 and Miami Gardens wins 5. 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 Miami Gardens or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($417,600 vs $299,700 median home), income ($75,376 vs $56,071), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Lauderdale, FL and Miami Gardens, FL are about 15 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
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