Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Jacksonville, FL
VS
Palm Bay, FL
🏆 Jacksonville leads 13 of 22 categories
Jacksonville
Florida
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
99.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$64,138 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
164⚠ High
Population
950,203 ✓ Larger
Palm Bay
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$62,538
Violent Crime Index
91 ✓ Safer
Population
121,513
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 0.9 pts lower (4.8%)
More college-educated — 31.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
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
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
44% less violent crime than Jacksonville
Homes cost $17k less ($226,200 vs $243,000)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 66°F
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Jacksonville
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 99.2 vs 100.8 (100 = US avg)
Jacksonville
Median Income
$1,600
$64,138 vs $62,538/yr
Jacksonville
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.8% vs 5.7% unemployment
Palm Bay
Violent Crime
44% lower
347.2 vs 623.8 per 100k
Palm Bay
Median Home Value
$17k less
$226,200 vs $243,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Jacksonville, FL | Palm Bay, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 99.2 ✓ Cheaper | 100.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $243,000 | $226,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,281 ✓ Lower | $1,345⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,138 ✓ Higher | $62,538 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.4 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 7.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 146⚠ High | 74 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 164⚠ High | 91 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 119⚠ High | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.1:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.0% ✓ Higher | 22.0% |
| High School or Higher | 90.5% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DUVAL | BREVARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.5°F | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer | 91.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.1" ✓ Drier | 60.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 950,203 ✓ Larger | 121,513 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 41.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.0% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.6% ✓ More | 21.9% |
| Over 65 | 14.4% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Jacksonville's cost of living index is 99.2 vs Palm Bay's 100.8 (US average = 100).
Jacksonville is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Jacksonville leads 13 of 22 categories. Jacksonville wins 13 and Palm Bay 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 Jacksonville to Palm Bay or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,000 vs $226,200 median home), income ($64,138 vs $62,538), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Jacksonville, FL and Palm Bay, FL are about 175 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.