Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Meridian, ID
VS
Sunrise, FL
🏆 Meridian leads 15 of 20 categories
Meridian
Idaho
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$93,296 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
39
Population
119,872 ✓ Larger
Sunrise
Florida
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,001
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
96,510
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Meridian, ID
Pros
Households earn $27,295 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.8 pts lower (2.7%)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Sunrise
Violent crime is well below the national average (146.8 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $298/mo less ($1,548 vs $1,846)
More college-educated — 43.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $425,800
Sunrise, FL
Pros
Homes cost $130k less ($296,100 vs $425,800)
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 39°F
Cons
Median income trails Meridian by $27,295/yr
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Meridian
Higher rents — median is $1,846/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Key Differences at a Glance
Meridian
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 93.4 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Meridian
Median Income
$27,295
$93,296 vs $66,001/yr
Meridian
Unemployment
3.8 pp lower
2.7% vs 6.5% unemployment
Sunrise
Median Home Value
$130k less
$296,100 vs $425,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Meridian, ID | Sunrise, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.4 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $425,800⚠ High | $296,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,548⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,846⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $93,296 ✓ Higher | $66,001 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.7% ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.8% ✓ Higher | 10.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 34 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 27 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (103) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.5% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 96.1% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2 | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.8°F | 76.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.7°F ✓ Warmer | 91.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.4" ✓ Drier | 67.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 18.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 119,872 ✓ Larger | 96,510 |
| Median Age | 37.1 | 42.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 76.3% ✓ Higher | 69.6% |
| Under 18 | 27.1% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.4% | 19.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Meridian's cost of living index is 93.4 vs Sunrise's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Meridian is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Meridian leads 15 of 20 categories. Meridian wins 15 and Sunrise wins 5. 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 Meridian to Sunrise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($425,800 vs $296,100 median home), income ($93,296 vs $66,001), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Meridian, ID and Sunrise, FL are about 2,349 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.