Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Lauderdale, FL
VS
Redding, CA
🏆 Redding leads 11 of 20 categories
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673 ✓ Larger
Redding
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,323
Violent Crime Index
170⚠ High
Population
93,327
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.4%)
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $8,053 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 77°F vs 57°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 91°F vs 100°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,627/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $417,600
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Redding
Redding, CA
Pros
Rent averages $349/mo less ($1,278 vs $1,627)
Homes cost $75k less ($343,000 vs $417,600)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Lauderdale
Cons
Violent crime (647.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Fort Lauderdale by $8,053/yr
Hot summers — July highs average 100°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Lauderdale
Median Income
$8,053
$75,376 vs $67,323/yr
Fort Lauderdale
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.4% vs 5.9% unemployment
Redding
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 102.8 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Redding
Median Home Value
$75k less
$343,000 vs $417,600
Redding
Summer Heat
9.4°F warmer
July avg high 99.9°F vs 90.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Redding, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 102.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $417,600⚠ High | $343,000⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,627⚠ High | $1,278 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,376 ✓ Higher | $67,323 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min | 16.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% ✓ Higher | 6.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 136⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 170⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 83 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) ✓ Better | C (77) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 | 20.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 26.4% |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% | 92.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWARD | Redding Elementary |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer | 57.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F | 99.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 63.0" | 41.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 182,673 ✓ Larger | 93,327 |
| Median Age | 43.2 ✓ Older | 38.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 54.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 22.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.3% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Lauderdale's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Redding's 102.8 (US average = 100).
Redding is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Redding leads 11 of 20 categories. Fort Lauderdale wins 9 and Redding wins 11. 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 Redding or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($417,600 vs $343,000 median home), income ($75,376 vs $67,323), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Lauderdale, FL and Redding, CA are about 2,603 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.