Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Haven, CT
VS
Palm Bay, FL
🏆 Palm Bay leads 14 of 23 categories
New Haven
Connecticut
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,305
Violent Crime Index
141⚠ High
Population
135,736 ✓ Larger
Palm Bay
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$62,538 ✓ Higher
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.
New Haven, CT
Pros
More college-educated — 38.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 91°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.0:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Palm Bay
Cons
Violent crime (534.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Palm Bay by $8,233/yr
Property crime (3587.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.8% vs 5.7%)
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
35% less violent crime than New Haven
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (5.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 38°F
Households earn $8,233 more per year on average
Cons
Cost of living runs 2% higher than New Haven
Key Differences at a Glance
New Haven
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 98.6 vs 100.8 (100 = US avg)
Palm Bay
Median Income
$8,233
$62,538 vs $54,305/yr
Palm Bay
Violent Crime
35% lower
347.2 vs 534.8 per 100k
Palm Bay
Median Home Value
$10k less
$226,200 vs $236,500
Palm Bay
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
5.7% vs 7.8% unemployment
Palm Bay
Summer Heat
9.2°F warmer
July avg high 91.3°F vs 82.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Haven, CT | Palm Bay, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.6 ✓ Cheaper | 100.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $236,500 | $226,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,402⚠ High | $1,345⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,305 | $62,538 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.8%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.7 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.6% ✓ Higher | 7.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 153⚠ High | 74 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 141⚠ High | 91 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 171⚠ High | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.5% ✓ Higher | 22.0% |
| High School or Higher | 85.7% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | New Haven School District | BREVARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.1°F | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.1°F | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" ✓ Drier | 60.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 135,736 ✓ Larger | 121,513 |
| Median Age | 31.0 | 41.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 28.6% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.0% ✓ More | 21.9% |
| Over 65 | 10.8% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Haven's cost of living index is 98.6 vs Palm Bay's 100.8 (US average = 100).
New Haven is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Palm Bay leads 14 of 23 categories. New Haven 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 New Haven to Palm Bay or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($236,500 vs $226,200 median home), income ($54,305 vs $62,538), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Haven, CT and Palm Bay, FL are about 1,020 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.