Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Lauderdale, FL
VS
Peoria, IL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673 ✓ Larger
Peoria
Illinois
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,068
Violent Crime Index
354⚠ High
Population
113,054
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pros
Households earn $17,308 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (5.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 77°F vs 34°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $417,600
Higher rents — median is $1,627/mo
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Peoria
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Peoria, IL
Pros
Homes cost $271k less ($146,700 vs $417,600)
Rent averages $710/mo less ($917 vs $1,627)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Lauderdale
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.6)
Smaller class sizes — 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1344.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Fort Lauderdale by $17,308/yr
Property crime (4284.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.0% vs 5.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Lauderdale
Median Income
$17,308
$75,376 vs $58,068/yr
Fort Lauderdale
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
5.4% vs 8.0% unemployment
Fort Lauderdale
Summer Heat
4.2°F warmer
July avg high 90.5°F vs 86.3°F
Peoria
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 88.6 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Peoria
Median Home Value
$271k less
$146,700 vs $417,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Peoria, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 88.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $417,600⚠ High | $146,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,627⚠ High | $917 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,376 ✓ Higher | $58,068 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% ✓ Higher | 9.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 294⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 354⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 204⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 37.5% |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% | 91.5% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWARD | Peoria SD 150 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer | 33.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F ✓ Warmer | 86.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 63.0" | 39.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 26.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 182,673 ✓ Larger | 113,054 |
| Median Age | 43.2 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 56.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 23.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.3% ✓ More | 16.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Lauderdale's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Peoria's 88.6 (US average = 100).
Peoria is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Fort Lauderdale wins 10 and Peoria wins 10. 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 Peoria or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($417,600 vs $146,700 median home), income ($75,376 vs $58,068), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Lauderdale, FL and Peoria, IL are about 1,146 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.