Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lancaster, CA
VS
Tampa, FL
🏆 Tampa leads 17 of 22 categories
Lancaster
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,367 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
220⚠ High
Population
171,465
Tampa
Florida
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,802
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
388,768 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lancaster, CA
Pros
Households earn $4,565 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (834.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Tampa
Higher unemployment (7.5% vs 5.2%)
Tampa, FL
Pros
47% less violent crime than Lancaster
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (5.2%)
More college-educated — 43.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Lancaster
Rent averages $154/mo less ($1,422 vs $1,576)
Cons
Violent crime (444.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Lancaster by $4,565/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Lancaster
Median Income
$4,565
$71,367 vs $66,802/yr
Lancaster
Summer Heat
6.6°F warmer
July avg high 97.6°F vs 91.0°F
Tampa
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Tampa
Violent Crime
47% lower
444.6 vs 834.7 per 100k
Tampa
Median Home Value
$36k less
$333,200 vs $368,800
Tampa
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
5.2% vs 7.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lancaster, CA | Tampa, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $368,800⚠ High | $333,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,576⚠ High | $1,422⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,367 ✓ Higher | $66,802 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5%⚠ High | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.9 min⚠ High | 24.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.6% | 16.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 168⚠ High | 98 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 220⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (63) | B (103) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.6:1 | 19.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 19.4% | 43.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.2% | 89.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Lancaster Elementary | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.7°F | 71.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 97.6°F ✓ Warmer | 91.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 6.8" ✓ Drier | 49.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 171,465 | 388,768 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.6 | 35.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.1% ✓ Higher | 50.5% |
| Under 18 | 27.8% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 11.2% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lancaster's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Tampa's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Tampa is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Tampa leads 17 of 22 categories. Lancaster wins 5 and Tampa 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 Lancaster to Tampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($368,800 vs $333,200 median home), income ($71,367 vs $66,802), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lancaster, CA and Tampa, FL are about 2,146 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.