Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Lauderdale, FL
VS
Round Rock, TX
🏆 Round Rock leads 15 of 19 categories
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673 ✓ Larger
Round Rock
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$91,888 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
34
Population
120,465
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 60°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 91°F vs 96°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $417,600
Median income trails Round Rock by $16,512/yr
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Round Rock
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Round Rock, TX
Pros
Homes cost $80k less ($337,500 vs $417,600)
Violent crime is well below the national average (130.7 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $16,512 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (3.8%)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Lauderdale
Smaller class sizes — 14.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Round Rock
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 97.6 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Round Rock
Median Income
$16,512
$91,888 vs $75,376/yr
Round Rock
Median Home Value
$80k less
$337,500 vs $417,600
Round Rock
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
3.8% vs 5.4% unemployment
Round Rock
Summer Heat
5.2°F warmer
July avg high 95.7°F vs 90.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Round Rock, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 97.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $417,600⚠ High | $337,500⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,627⚠ High | $1,586⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,376 | $91,888 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% | 19.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 58 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 34 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 92 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | A- (115) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 | 14.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% | 42.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% | 93.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWARD | ROUND ROCK ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer | 59.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F | 95.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 63.0" | 36.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 182,673 ✓ Larger | 120,465 |
| Median Age | 43.2 ✓ Older | 35.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 55.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 25.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.3% ✓ More | 10.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Lauderdale's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Round Rock's 97.6 (US average = 100).
Round Rock is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Round Rock leads 15 of 19 categories. Fort Lauderdale wins 4 and Round Rock wins 15. 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 Round Rock or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($417,600 vs $337,500 median home), income ($75,376 vs $91,888), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Lauderdale, FL and Round Rock, TX are about 1,106 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.