Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Midland, TX
VS
Palm Bay, FL
🏆 Palm Bay leads 14 of 23 categories
Midland
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$90,448 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
96
Population
132,490 ✓ Larger
Palm Bay
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$62,538
Violent Crime Index
91 ✓ Safer
Population
121,513
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Midland, TX
Pros
Households earn $27,910 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (3.2%)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 31.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.8)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Palm Bay
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
Homes cost $55k less ($226,200 vs $280,700)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 60°F
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Midland by $27,910/yr
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 3.2%)
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Midland
Key Differences at a Glance
Midland
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 94.8 vs 100.8 (100 = US avg)
Midland
Median Income
$27,910
$90,448 vs $62,538/yr
Midland
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
3.2% vs 5.7% unemployment
Midland
Summer Heat
4.0°F warmer
July avg high 95.3°F vs 91.3°F
Palm Bay
Violent Crime
5% lower
347.2 vs 364.9 per 100k
Palm Bay
Median Home Value
$55k less
$226,200 vs $280,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Midland, TX | Palm Bay, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.8 ✓ Cheaper | 100.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $280,700 | $226,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,400⚠ High | $1,345⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $90,448 ✓ Higher | $62,538 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.9 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 5.6% | 7.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 88 | 74 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 91 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 77 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (83) | B- (92) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.8:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.8% ✓ Higher | 22.0% |
| High School or Higher | 84.9% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | MIDLAND ISD | BREVARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 60.3°F | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.3°F ✓ Warmer | 91.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.7" ✓ Drier | 60.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.9" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 132,490 ✓ Larger | 121,513 |
| Median Age | 31.4 | 41.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.9% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 28.5% ✓ More | 21.9% |
| Over 65 | 10.2% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Midland's cost of living index is 94.8 vs Palm Bay's 100.8 (US average = 100).
Midland is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Palm Bay leads 14 of 23 categories. Midland wins 9 and Palm Bay wins 14. 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 Midland to Palm Bay or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($280,700 vs $226,200 median home), income ($90,448 vs $62,538), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Midland, TX and Palm Bay, FL are about 1,312 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.