Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Lauderdale, FL
VS
Worcester, MA
🏆 Fort Lauderdale leads 11 of 20 categories
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673
Worcester
Massachusetts
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,011
Violent Crime Index
4
Population
204,191 ✓ Larger
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 32°F
Households earn $12,365 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (5.4%)
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $417,600
Higher rents — median is $1,627/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Worcester
Worcester, MA
Pros
Homes cost $112k less ($305,600 vs $417,600)
Rent averages $315/mo less ($1,312 vs $1,627)
Violent crime is well below the national average (16.5 vs 380/100k)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Lauderdale
Cooler summers — July highs near 80°F vs 91°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fort Lauderdale by $12,365/yr
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 5.4%)
Snowy winters — about 73" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Lauderdale
Median Income
$12,365
$75,376 vs $63,011/yr
Fort Lauderdale
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.6% unemployment
Fort Lauderdale
Summer Heat
10.7°F warmer
July avg high 90.5°F vs 79.8°F
Worcester
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 103.8 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Worcester
Median Home Value
$112k less
$305,600 vs $417,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Worcester, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 103.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $417,600⚠ High | $305,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,627⚠ High | $1,312 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $75,376 ✓ Higher | $63,011 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min | 24.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.0% ✓ Higher | 9.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 4 |
| 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 | 33.1% |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% ✓ Higher | 85.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWARD | Worcester |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer | 32.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.5°F ✓ Warmer | 79.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 63.0" | 48.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 72.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 182,673 | 204,191 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 43.2 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.2% ✓ Higher | 42.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | 19.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.3% ✓ More | 13.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Lauderdale's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Worcester's 103.8 (US average = 100).
Worcester is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Fort Lauderdale leads 11 of 20 categories. Fort Lauderdale wins 11 and Worcester 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 Worcester or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($417,600 vs $305,600 median home), income ($75,376 vs $63,011), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Lauderdale, FL and Worcester, MA are about 1,210 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.