Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Milwaukee, WI
VS
Palm Coast, FL
🏆 Palm Coast leads 12 of 20 categories
Milwaukee
Wisconsin
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,733
Violent Crime Index
377⚠ High
Population
573,299 ✓ Larger
Palm Coast
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$68,824 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
91,082
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Milwaukee, WI
Pros
Homes cost $126k less ($157,800 vs $283,300)
Rent averages $639/mo less ($982 vs $1,621)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Palm Coast
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 88°F
Cons
Median income trails Palm Coast by $19,091/yr
Violent crime (1430.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2700.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.9% vs 4.1%)
Palm Coast, FL
Pros
Households earn $19,091 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (4.1%)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 30°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,621/mo
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Milwaukee
Longer commutes — 28.0 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Milwaukee
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 95.5 vs 104.5 (100 = US avg)
Milwaukee
Median Home Value
$126k less
$157,800 vs $283,300
Palm Coast
Median Income
$19,091
$68,824 vs $49,733/yr
Palm Coast
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
4.1% vs 5.9% unemployment
Palm Coast
Summer Heat
5.0°F warmer
July avg high 87.8°F vs 82.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Milwaukee, WI | Palm Coast, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.5 ✓ Cheaper | 104.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $157,800 ✓ Lower | $283,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $982 ✓ Lower | $1,621⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,733 | $68,824 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.2 min ✓ Shorter | 28.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 9.4% | 13.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 277⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 377⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (82) | B- (94) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.1% | 26.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 85.4% | 91.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Milwaukee School District | FLAGLER |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 29.7°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.8°F | 87.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.8" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 39.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 573,299 ✓ Larger | 91,082 |
| Median Age | 31.8 | 50.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.2% | 77.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 25.7% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 29.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Milwaukee's cost of living index is 95.5 vs Palm Coast's 104.5 (US average = 100).
Milwaukee is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Palm Coast leads 12 of 20 categories. Milwaukee wins 8 and Palm Coast wins 12. 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 Milwaukee to Palm Coast or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($157,800 vs $283,300 median home), income ($49,733 vs $68,824), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Milwaukee, WI and Palm Coast, FL are about 1,006 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.