Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Newark, NJ
VS
Palm Coast, FL
🏆 Palm Coast leads 15 of 20 categories
Newark
New Jersey
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$46,460
Violent Crime Index
153⚠ High
Population
307,355 ✓ Larger
Palm Coast
Florida
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
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.
Newark, NJ
Pros
Rent averages $348/mo less ($1,273 vs $1,621)
Smaller class sizes — 15.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Palm Coast by $22,364/yr
Violent crime (581.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Higher unemployment (10.7% vs 4.1%)
Palm Coast, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.6 pts lower (4.1%)
Households earn $22,364 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 39°F
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 26.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Homes cost $29k less ($283,300 vs $312,300)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,621/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Palm Coast
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 104.5 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Palm Coast
Median Income
$22,364
$68,824 vs $46,460/yr
Palm Coast
Median Home Value
$29k less
$283,300 vs $312,300
Palm Coast
Unemployment
6.6 pp lower
4.1% vs 10.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Newark, NJ | Palm Coast, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $312,300⚠ High | $283,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,273 ✓ Lower | $1,621⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $46,460 | $68,824 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 10.7%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.0 min⚠ High | 28.0 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.6% | 13.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 129⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 153⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 93 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (85) | B- (94) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 17.0% | 26.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 77.7% | 91.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Newark Public School District | FLAGLER |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.4°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.8°F | 87.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.4" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 307,355 ✓ Larger | 91,082 |
| Median Age | 34.7 | 50.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 23.9% | 77.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.1% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 10.9% | 29.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Newark's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Palm Coast's 104.5 (US average = 100).
Palm Coast is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Palm Coast leads 15 of 20 categories. Newark wins 5 and Palm Coast wins 15. 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 Newark to Palm Coast or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($312,300 vs $283,300 median home), income ($46,460 vs $68,824), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Newark, NJ and Palm Coast, FL are about 869 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.