Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Palm Bay, FL
VS
Palm Coast, FL
🏆 Palm Bay leads 10 of 19 categories
Palm Bay
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,538
Violent Crime Index
91
Population
121,513 ✓ Larger
Palm Coast
Florida
9
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.
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
Homes cost $57k less ($226,200 vs $283,300)
Rent averages $276/mo less ($1,345 vs $1,621)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 65°F
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Palm Coast
Cons
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.1%)
Median income trails Palm Coast by $6,286/yr
Palm Coast, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (4.1%)
Households earn $6,286 more per year on average
More college-educated — 26.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,621/mo
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Palm Bay
Key Differences at a Glance
Palm Bay
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 100.8 vs 104.5 (100 = US avg)
Palm Bay
Median Home Value
$57k less
$226,200 vs $283,300
Palm Bay
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 91.3°F vs 87.8°F
Palm Coast
Median Income
$6,286
$68,824 vs $62,538/yr
Palm Coast
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
4.1% vs 5.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Palm Bay, FL | Palm Coast, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 104.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $226,200 ✓ Lower | $283,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,345⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,621⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $62,538 | $68,824 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.2 min ✓ Shorter | 28.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 7.8% | 13.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 74 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B- (94) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.0% | 26.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% | 91.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BREVARD | FLAGLER |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer | 65.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer | 87.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.0" | 51.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 121,513 ✓ Larger | 91,082 |
| Median Age | 41.8 | 50.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 77.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 19.4% | 29.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Palm Bay's cost of living index is 100.8 vs Palm Coast's 104.5 (US average = 100).
Palm Bay is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Palm Bay leads 10 of 19 categories. Palm Bay wins 10 and Palm Coast wins 9. 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 Palm Bay to Palm Coast or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($226,200 vs $283,300 median home), income ($62,538 vs $68,824), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Palm Bay, FL and Palm Coast, FL are about 114 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.