Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Hialeah, FL
VS
St. Petersburg, FL
🏆 St. Petersburg leads 13 of 22 categories
Hialeah
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$49,531
Violent Crime Index
34 ✓ Safer
Population
222,996
St. Petersburg
Florida
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$70,333 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
259,343 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Hialeah, FL
Pros
79% less violent crime than St. Petersburg
Violent crime is well below the national average (129.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (3.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 77°F vs 69°F
Cons
Median income trails St. Petersburg by $20,802/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Pricier housing — median home is $324,300
Cost of living runs 8% higher than St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
Households earn $20,802 more per year on average
More college-educated — 40.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Homes cost $35k less ($289,000 vs $324,300)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Hialeah
Smaller class sizes — 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (619.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2458.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.6% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Hialeah
Violent Crime
79% lower
129.6 vs 619.6 per 100k
Hialeah
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
3.7% vs 4.6% unemployment
St. Petersburg
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
St. Petersburg
Median Income
$20,802
$70,333 vs $49,531/yr
St. Petersburg
Median Home Value
$35k less
$289,000 vs $324,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Hialeah, FL | St. Petersburg, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $324,300⚠ High | $289,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,458⚠ High | $1,410⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,531 | $70,333 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.3 min⚠ High | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 15.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 37 ✓ Safer | 145⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 34 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 41 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (86) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.4:1 | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 19.9% | 40.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 74.1% | 93.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | MIAMI-DADE | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.7°F ✓ Warmer | 69.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.8°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 62.7" | 46.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 222,996 | 259,343 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 45.5 ✓ Older | 42.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.4% | 62.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.9% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 20.1% ✓ More | 19.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hialeah's cost of living index is 111.8 vs St. Petersburg's 103.4 (US average = 100).
St. Petersburg is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, St. Petersburg leads 13 of 22 categories. Hialeah wins 9 and St. Petersburg wins 13. 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 Hialeah to St. Petersburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($324,300 vs $289,000 median home), income ($49,531 vs $70,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Hialeah, FL and St. Petersburg, FL are about 195 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.