Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntsville, AL
VS
Palm Coast, FL
🏆 Palm Coast leads 11 of 20 categories
Huntsville
Alabama
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,874
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
215,025 ✓ Larger
Palm Coast
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$68,824 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
91,082
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntsville, AL
Pros
Rent averages $601/mo less ($1,020 vs $1,621)
Homes cost $47k less ($236,300 vs $283,300)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 45.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Palm Coast
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.8)
Cons
Violent crime (483.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Palm Coast, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (4.1%)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 50°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,621/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Huntsville
Longer commutes — 28.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntsville
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 94.8 vs 104.5 (100 = US avg)
Huntsville
Median Home Value
$47k less
$236,300 vs $283,300
Palm Coast
Median Income
$950
$68,824 vs $67,874/yr
Palm Coast
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
4.1% vs 4.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntsville, AL | Palm Coast, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.8 ✓ Cheaper | 104.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $236,300 ✓ Lower | $283,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,020 ✓ Lower | $1,621⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $67,874 | $68,824 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.2 min ✓ Shorter | 28.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.4% | 13.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 122⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 127⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 17.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 45.8% ✓ Higher | 26.4% |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% | 91.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntsville City | FLAGLER |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.3°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.1°F ✓ Warmer | 87.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.2" | 51.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.4" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 215,025 ✓ Larger | 91,082 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 50.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% | 77.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.4% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 16.2% | 29.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntsville's cost of living index is 94.8 vs Palm Coast's 104.5 (US average = 100).
Huntsville is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Palm Coast leads 11 of 20 categories. Huntsville wins 9 and Palm Coast wins 11. 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 Huntsville to Palm Coast or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($236,300 vs $283,300 median home), income ($67,874 vs $68,824), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntsville, AL and Palm Coast, FL are about 476 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.