Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Jacksonville, FL
VS
Miami Gardens, FL
🏆 Jacksonville leads 14 of 22 categories
Jacksonville
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
99.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$64,138 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
164⚠ High
Population
950,203 ✓ Larger
Miami Gardens
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$56,071
Violent Crime Index
109⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
111,618
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Jacksonville, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.1 pts lower (4.8%)
Rent averages $302/mo less ($1,281 vs $1,583)
Homes cost $57k less ($243,000 vs $299,700)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Miami Gardens
Households earn $8,067 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (623.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2494.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Miami Gardens, FL
Pros
34% less violent crime than Jacksonville
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 66°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,583/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Jacksonville
Median income trails Jacksonville by $8,067/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Key Differences at a Glance
Jacksonville
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 99.2 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Jacksonville
Median Income
$8,067
$64,138 vs $56,071/yr
Jacksonville
Median Home Value
$57k less
$243,000 vs $299,700
Jacksonville
Unemployment
3.1 pp lower
4.8% vs 7.9% unemployment
Miami Gardens
Violent Crime
34% lower
414.6 vs 623.8 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Jacksonville, FL | Miami Gardens, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 99.2 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $243,000 ✓ Lower | $299,700 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,281 ✓ Lower | $1,583⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,138 ✓ Higher | $56,071 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.4 min ✓ Shorter | 32.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 146⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 164⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 119⚠ High | 116⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.0% ✓ Higher | 17.7% |
| High School or Higher | 90.5% ✓ Higher | 82.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DUVAL | MIAMI-DADE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.5°F | 75.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.1" ✓ Drier | 68.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 950,203 ✓ Larger | 111,618 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 38.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.0% | 64.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.4% | 16.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Jacksonville's cost of living index is 99.2 vs Miami Gardens's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Jacksonville is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Jacksonville leads 14 of 22 categories. Jacksonville wins 14 and Miami Gardens wins 8. 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 Jacksonville to Miami Gardens or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,000 vs $299,700 median home), income ($64,138 vs $56,071), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Jacksonville, FL and Miami Gardens, FL are about 315 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.