Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New York, NY
VS
Palm Bay, FL
🏆 Palm Bay leads 16 of 23 categories
New York
New York
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,607 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
177⚠ High
Population
8,622,467 ✓ Larger
Palm Bay
Florida
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
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.
New York, NY
Pros
Households earn $14,069 more per year on average
More college-educated — 40.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 91°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $732,100
Violent crime (671.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,714/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
Homes cost $506k less ($226,200 vs $732,100)
48% less violent crime than New York
Rent averages $369/mo less ($1,345 vs $1,714)
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (5.7%)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 40°F
Cons
Median income trails New York by $14,069/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
New York
Median Income
$14,069
$76,607 vs $62,538/yr
Palm Bay
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 100.8 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Palm Bay
Violent Crime
48% lower
347.2 vs 671.0 per 100k
Palm Bay
Median Home Value
$506k less
$226,200 vs $732,100
Palm Bay
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
5.7% vs 7.6% unemployment
Palm Bay
Summer Heat
6.5°F warmer
July avg high 91.3°F vs 84.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New York, NY | Palm Bay, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $732,100⚠ High | $226,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,714⚠ High | $1,345⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,607 ✓ Higher | $62,538 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.6%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 41.1 min⚠ High | 27.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.0% ✓ Higher | 7.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 151⚠ High | 74 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 177⚠ High | 91 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 113⚠ High | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.2% ✓ Higher | 22.0% |
| High School or Higher | 83.3% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2 | BREVARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.7°F | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.8°F | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.1" ✓ Drier | 60.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 8,622,467 ✓ Larger | 121,513 |
| Median Age | 37.5 | 41.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 32.9% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | 21.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.5% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
New York's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Palm Bay's 100.8 (US average = 100).
Palm Bay is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Palm Bay leads 16 of 23 categories. New York wins 7 and Palm Bay wins 16. 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 York to Palm Bay or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($732,100 vs $226,200 median home), income ($76,607 vs $62,538), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New York, NY and Palm Bay, FL are about 957 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.