Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Kansas City, MO
VS
Tampa, FL
🏆 Kansas City leads 12 of 23 categories
Kansas City
Missouri
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$65,256
Violent Crime Index
407⚠ High
Population
505,958 ✓ Larger
Tampa
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,802 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
388,768
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Kansas City, MO
Pros
Homes cost $124k less ($208,900 vs $333,200)
Rent averages $291/mo less ($1,131 vs $1,422)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Tampa
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Smaller class sizes — 13.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1547.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4676.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Tampa, FL
Pros
71% less violent crime than Kansas City
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 40°F
More college-educated — 43.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $333,200
Violent crime (444.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,422/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Kansas City
Key Differences at a Glance
Kansas City
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Kansas City
Median Home Value
$124k less
$208,900 vs $333,200
Tampa
Median Income
$1,546
$66,802 vs $65,256/yr
Tampa
Violent Crime
71% lower
444.6 vs 1547.1 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Kansas City, MO | Tampa, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $208,900 ✓ Lower | $333,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,131 ✓ Lower | $1,422⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $65,256 | $66,802 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.0 min ✓ Shorter | 24.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.2% | 16.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 333⚠ High | 98 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 407⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 223⚠ High | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B (103) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.1% | 43.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% ✓ Higher | 89.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | KANSAS CITY 33 | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.9°F | 71.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.2°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.1" ✓ Drier | 49.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 11.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 505,958 ✓ Larger | 388,768 |
| Median Age | 35.4 | 35.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% ✓ Higher | 50.5% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 13.9% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Kansas City's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Tampa's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Kansas City is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Kansas City leads 12 of 23 categories. Kansas City wins 12 and Tampa 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 Kansas City to Tampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($208,900 vs $333,200 median home), income ($65,256 vs $66,802), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Kansas City, MO and Tampa, FL are about 1,036 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.