Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Kirkland, WA
VS
Palm Coast, FL
🏆 Palm Coast leads 11 of 19 categories
Kirkland
Washington
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$135,608 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
16
Population
92,015 ✓ Larger
Palm Coast
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$68,824
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
91,082
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Kirkland, WA
Pros
Households earn $66,784 more per year on average
More college-educated — 62.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (60.6 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 88°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $937,700
Higher rents — median is $2,250/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Palm Coast
Palm Coast, FL
Pros
Homes cost $654k less ($283,300 vs $937,700)
Rent averages $629/mo less ($1,621 vs $2,250)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.1%)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 47°F
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Kirkland
Cons
Median income trails Kirkland by $66,784/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Kirkland
Median Income
$66,784
$135,608 vs $68,824/yr
Palm Coast
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 104.5 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Palm Coast
Median Home Value
$654k less
$283,300 vs $937,700
Palm Coast
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.1% vs 4.7% unemployment
Palm Coast
Summer Heat
11.3°F warmer
July avg high 87.8°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Kirkland, WA | Palm Coast, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $937,700⚠ High | $283,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,250⚠ High | $1,621⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $135,608 ✓ Higher | $68,824 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.5 min ✓ Shorter | 28.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 24.9% ✓ Higher | 13.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 16 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B- (94) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 62.9% ✓ Higher | 26.4% |
| High School or Higher | 96.6% ✓ Higher | 91.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Lake Washington Institute of Technology | FLAGLER |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 87.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.8" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,015 ✓ Larger | 91,082 |
| Median Age | 38.0 | 50.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.1% | 77.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 14.1% | 29.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Kirkland's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Palm Coast's 104.5 (US average = 100).
Palm Coast is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Palm Coast leads 11 of 19 categories. Kirkland wins 8 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 Kirkland to Palm Coast or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($937,700 vs $283,300 median home), income ($135,608 vs $68,824), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Kirkland, WA and Palm Coast, FL are about 2,502 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.