Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Lauderdale, FL
VS
Savannah, GA
🏆 Savannah leads 10 of 19 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
Savannah
Georgia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,748
Violent Crime Index
5
Population
147,583
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pros
Households earn $20,628 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (5.4%)
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 77°F vs 61°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $417,600
Higher rents — median is $1,627/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Savannah
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Savannah, GA
Pros
Homes cost $214k less ($203,300 vs $417,600)
Rent averages $411/mo less ($1,216 vs $1,627)
Violent crime is well below the national average (20.3 vs 380/100k)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Lauderdale
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fort Lauderdale by $20,628/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Lauderdale
Median Income
$20,628
$75,376 vs $54,748/yr
Fort Lauderdale
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
5.4% vs 7.2% unemployment
Savannah
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 95.6 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Savannah
Median Home Value
$214k less
$203,300 vs $417,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Savannah, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 95.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $417,600⚠ High | $203,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,627⚠ High | $1,216 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,376 ✓ Higher | $54,748 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min | 20.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% ✓ Higher | 8.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 5 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | B+ (106) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWARD | Savannah-Chatham County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer | 61.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F | 92.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 63.0" | 52.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 182,673 ✓ Larger | 147,583 |
| Median Age | 43.2 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 20.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.3% ✓ More | 14.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Lauderdale's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Savannah's 95.6 (US average = 100).
Savannah is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Savannah leads 10 of 19 categories. Fort Lauderdale wins 9 and Savannah 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 Savannah or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($417,600 vs $203,300 median home), income ($75,376 vs $54,748), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Lauderdale, FL and Savannah, GA are about 411 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
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