Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lancaster, CA
VS
Palm Coast, FL
🏆 Palm Coast leads 13 of 19 categories
Lancaster
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,367 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
220⚠ High
Population
171,465 ✓ Larger
Palm Coast
Florida
13
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.
Lancaster, CA
Pros
Households earn $2,543 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (834.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $368,800
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Palm Coast
Palm Coast, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.4 pts lower (4.1%)
Homes cost $86k less ($283,300 vs $368,800)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Lancaster
More college-educated — 26.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 88°F vs 98°F
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 59°F
Cons
Median income trails Lancaster by $2,543/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Lancaster
Median Income
$2,543
$71,367 vs $68,824/yr
Lancaster
Summer Heat
9.8°F warmer
July avg high 97.6°F vs 87.8°F
Palm Coast
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 104.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Palm Coast
Median Home Value
$86k less
$283,300 vs $368,800
Palm Coast
Unemployment
3.4 pp lower
4.1% vs 7.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lancaster, CA | Palm Coast, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $368,800⚠ High | $283,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,576⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,621⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,367 ✓ Higher | $68,824 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.9 min⚠ High | 28.0 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.6% | 13.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 168⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 220⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (63) | B- (94) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.6:1 | 17.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 19.4% | 26.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.2% | 91.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Lancaster Elementary | FLAGLER |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.7°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 97.6°F ✓ Warmer | 87.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 6.8" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,465 ✓ Larger | 91,082 |
| Median Age | 33.6 | 50.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.1% | 77.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 27.8% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 11.2% | 29.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lancaster's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Palm Coast's 104.5 (US average = 100).
Palm Coast is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Palm Coast leads 13 of 19 categories. Lancaster wins 6 and Palm Coast wins 13. 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 Lancaster to Palm Coast or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($368,800 vs $283,300 median home), income ($71,367 vs $68,824), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lancaster, CA and Palm Coast, FL are about 2,178 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.