Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Murrieta, CA
VS
Palm Coast, FL
🏆 Palm Coast leads 12 of 20 categories
Murrieta
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$106,925 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48
Population
111,899 ✓ Larger
Palm Coast
Florida
12
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.
Murrieta, CA
Pros
Households earn $38,101 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (183.7 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 29.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $567,700
Higher rents — median is $2,150/mo
Higher unemployment (6.7% vs 4.1%)
Longer commutes — 35.0 min average each way
Palm Coast, FL
Pros
Homes cost $284k less ($283,300 vs $567,700)
Rent averages $529/mo less ($1,621 vs $2,150)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (4.1%)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 17.6:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Murrieta
Cons
Median income trails Murrieta by $38,101/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Murrieta
Median Income
$38,101
$106,925 vs $68,824/yr
Palm Coast
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 104.5 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Palm Coast
Median Home Value
$284k less
$283,300 vs $567,700
Palm Coast
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
4.1% vs 6.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Murrieta, CA | Palm Coast, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $567,700⚠ High | $283,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,150⚠ High | $1,621⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $106,925 ✓ Higher | $68,824 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.7%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 35.0 min⚠ High | 28.0 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.2% ✓ Higher | 13.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 47 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) | B- (94) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.4:1 | 17.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 26.4% |
| High School or Higher | 92.5% ✓ Higher | 91.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Murrieta Valley Unified | FLAGLER |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.5°F ✓ Warmer | 65.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.2°F | 87.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.9" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 111,899 ✓ Larger | 91,082 |
| Median Age | 35.6 | 50.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.5% | 77.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 27.2% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 12.3% | 29.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Murrieta's cost of living index is 107.9 vs Palm Coast's 104.5 (US average = 100).
Palm Coast is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Palm Coast leads 12 of 20 categories. Murrieta 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 Murrieta to Palm Coast or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($567,700 vs $283,300 median home), income ($106,925 vs $68,824), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Murrieta, CA and Palm Coast, FL are about 2,124 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.