Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Hollywood, FL
VS
Palm Bay, FL
🏆 Palm Bay leads 14 of 18 categories
Hollywood
Florida
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$61,958
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
152,764 ✓ Larger
Palm Bay
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,538 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
91
Population
121,513
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Hollywood, FL
Pros
More college-educated — 31.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $345,300
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Palm Bay
Higher rents — median is $1,463/mo
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
Homes cost $119k less ($226,200 vs $345,300)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Hollywood
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Rent averages $118/mo less ($1,345 vs $1,463)
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Palm Bay
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 100.8 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Palm Bay
Median Income
$580
$62,538 vs $61,958/yr
Palm Bay
Median Home Value
$119k less
$226,200 vs $345,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Hollywood, FL | Palm Bay, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $345,300⚠ High | $226,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,463⚠ High | $1,345⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $61,958 | $62,538 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.1%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.4 min⚠ High | 27.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.8% ✓ Higher | 7.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 74 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 91 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 48 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.7% ✓ Higher | 22.0% |
| High School or Higher | 88.9% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWARD | BREVARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.1°F ✓ Warmer | 72.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 65.0" | 60.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 152,764 ✓ Larger | 121,513 |
| Median Age | 41.0 | 41.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.6% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.3% | 21.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.9% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hollywood's cost of living index is 111.8 vs Palm Bay's 100.8 (US average = 100).
Palm Bay is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 18 decided categories above, Palm Bay leads 14 of 18 categories. Hollywood wins 4 and Palm Bay wins 14. 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 Hollywood to Palm Bay or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($345,300 vs $226,200 median home), income ($61,958 vs $62,538), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Hollywood, FL and Palm Bay, FL are about 137 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.