Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lakewood, CO
VS
St. Petersburg, FL
🏆 St. Petersburg leads 17 of 23 categories
Lakewood
Colorado
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,786 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
207⚠ High
Population
156,149
St. Petersburg
Florida
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$70,333
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
259,343 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lakewood, CO
Pros
Households earn $12,453 more per year on average
More college-educated — 44.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $494,100
Violent crime (787.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,665/mo
Property crime (5093.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
Homes cost $205k less ($289,000 vs $494,100)
21% less violent crime than Lakewood
Rent averages $255/mo less ($1,410 vs $1,665)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 45°F
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Lakewood
Cons
Violent crime (619.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Lakewood by $12,453/yr
Property crime (2458.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Lakewood
Median Income
$12,453
$82,786 vs $70,333/yr
St. Petersburg
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
St. Petersburg
Violent Crime
21% lower
619.6 vs 787.2 per 100k
St. Petersburg
Median Home Value
$205k less
$289,000 vs $494,100
St. Petersburg
Summer Heat
3.7°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 85.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lakewood, CO | St. Petersburg, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $494,100⚠ High | $289,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,665⚠ High | $1,410⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,786 ✓ Higher | $70,333 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.0 min | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.9% ✓ Higher | 15.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 221⚠ High | 145⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 207⚠ High | 163⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 243⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.4% ✓ Higher | 40.6% |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% | 93.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jefferson County School District No. R-1 | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 69.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.9°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.8" ✓ Drier | 46.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 58.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 156,149 | 259,343 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.1 | 42.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.0% | 62.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.8% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 17.4% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lakewood's cost of living index is 105.5 vs St. Petersburg's 103.4 (US average = 100).
St. Petersburg is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Petersburg leads 17 of 23 categories. Lakewood wins 6 and St. Petersburg wins 17. 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 Lakewood to St. Petersburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($494,100 vs $289,000 median home), income ($82,786 vs $70,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lakewood, CO and St. Petersburg, FL are about 1,525 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.