Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Jacksonville, FL
VS
St. Petersburg, FL
🏆 St. Petersburg leads 16 of 22 categories
Jacksonville
Florida
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
99.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$64,138
Violent Crime Index
164⚠ High
Population
950,203 ✓ Larger
St. Petersburg
Florida
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$70,333 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
259,343
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Jacksonville, FL
Pros
Homes cost $46k less ($243,000 vs $289,000)
Rent averages $129/mo less ($1,281 vs $1,410)
4% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Petersburg
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
Median income trails St. Petersburg by $6,195/yr
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
More college-educated — 40.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $6,195 more per year on average
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 rents — median is $1,410/mo
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Jacksonville
Key Differences at a Glance
Jacksonville
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 99.2 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Jacksonville
Median Home Value
$46k less
$243,000 vs $289,000
St. Petersburg
Median Income
$6,195
$70,333 vs $64,138/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Jacksonville, FL | St. Petersburg, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 99.2 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $243,000 ✓ Lower | $289,000 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,281 ✓ Lower | $1,410⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,138 | $70,333 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.4 min | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 15.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 146⚠ High | 145⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 164⚠ High | 163⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 119⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.1:1 | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.0% | 40.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.5% | 93.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DUVAL | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.5°F | 69.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.1" | 46.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 950,203 ✓ Larger | 259,343 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 42.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.0% | 62.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.6% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 14.4% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Jacksonville's cost of living index is 99.2 vs St. Petersburg's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Jacksonville is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, St. Petersburg leads 16 of 22 categories. Jacksonville wins 6 and St. Petersburg wins 16. 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 St. Petersburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($243,000 vs $289,000 median home), income ($64,138 vs $70,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Jacksonville, FL and St. Petersburg, FL are about 187 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.