Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Lauderdale, FL
VS
Sparks, NV
🏆 Fort Lauderdale leads 11 of 20 categories
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673 ✓ Larger
Sparks
Nevada
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$82,938 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High
Population
108,025
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 48°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.4%)
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Median income trails Sparks by $7,562/yr
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Sparks
Higher rents — median is $1,627/mo
Sparks, NV
Pros
Households earn $7,562 more per year on average
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Lauderdale
Rent averages $101/mo less ($1,526 vs $1,627)
Smaller class sizes — 19.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Property crime (2583.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Lauderdale
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.1% unemployment
Sparks
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 103.2 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Sparks
Median Income
$7,562
$82,938 vs $75,376/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Sparks, NV |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 103.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $417,600⚠ High ✓ Lower | $423,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,627⚠ High | $1,526⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,376 | $82,938 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min | 23.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 111⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 104⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 123⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 | 19.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.3% ✓ Higher | 25.4% |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% ✓ Higher | 85.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWARD | Washoe County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer | 48.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 63.0" | 8.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 6.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 182,673 ✓ Larger | 108,025 |
| Median Age | 43.2 ✓ Older | 37.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% | 59.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.3% ✓ More | 15.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Lauderdale's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Sparks's 103.2 (US average = 100).
Sparks is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Fort Lauderdale leads 11 of 20 categories. Fort Lauderdale wins 11 and Sparks wins 9. 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 Sparks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($417,600 vs $423,500 median home), income ($75,376 vs $82,938), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Lauderdale, FL and Sparks, NV are about 2,453 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.