Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Lauderdale, FL
VS
Phoenix, AZ
🏆 Phoenix leads 12 of 19 categories
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673
Phoenix
Arizona
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,092
Violent Crime Index
210⚠ High
Population
1,609,456 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pros
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 91°F vs 104°F
Milder winters — January highs near 77°F vs 65°F
Households earn $3,284 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,627/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $417,600
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Phoenix
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Phoenix, AZ
Pros
Rent averages $305/mo less ($1,322 vs $1,627)
Homes cost $77k less ($340,200 vs $417,600)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Lauderdale
Smaller class sizes — 15.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (799.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Hot summers — July highs average 104°F
Median income trails Fort Lauderdale by $3,284/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Lauderdale
Median Income
$3,284
$75,376 vs $72,092/yr
Phoenix
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 98.4 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Phoenix
Median Home Value
$77k less
$340,200 vs $417,600
Phoenix
Summer Heat
13.5°F warmer
July avg high 104.0°F vs 90.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Phoenix, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 98.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $417,600⚠ High | $340,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,627⚠ High | $1,322 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,376 ✓ Higher | $72,092 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min | 25.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% | 14.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 171⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 210⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 111⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 | 15.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 31.2% |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% ✓ Higher | 83.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWARD | Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer | 65.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F | 104.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 63.0" | 8.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 182,673 | 1,609,456 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 43.2 ✓ Older | 34.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 56.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.3% ✓ More | 11.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Lauderdale's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Phoenix's 98.4 (US average = 100).
Phoenix is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Phoenix leads 12 of 19 categories. Fort Lauderdale wins 7 and Phoenix wins 12. 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 Phoenix or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($417,600 vs $340,200 median home), income ($75,376 vs $72,092), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Lauderdale, FL and Phoenix, AZ are about 1,973 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.