Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Palm Bay, FL
VS
Plano, TX
🏆 Plano leads 13 of 23 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
Plano
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$105,679 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
284,948 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
Homes cost $186k less ($226,200 vs $412,500)
Rent averages $354/mo less ($1,345 vs $1,699)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 56°F
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Plano
Cons
Median income trails Plano by $43,141/yr
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.4%)
Plano, TX
Pros
Households earn $43,141 more per year on average
56% less violent crime than Palm Bay
More college-educated — 58.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (4.4%)
Smaller class sizes — 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $412,500
Higher rents — median is $1,699/mo
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Palm Bay
Key Differences at a Glance
Palm Bay
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 100.8 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Palm Bay
Median Home Value
$186k less
$226,200 vs $412,500
Plano
Median Income
$43,141
$105,679 vs $62,538/yr
Plano
Violent Crime
56% lower
151.6 vs 347.2 per 100k
Plano
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.7% unemployment
Plano
Summer Heat
3.0°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 91.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Palm Bay, FL | Plano, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $226,200 ✓ Lower | $412,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,345⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,699⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $62,538 | $105,679 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.2 min | 25.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.8% | 22.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 74 | 52 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 | 40 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 ✓ Safer | 70 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | A+ (134) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.0% | 58.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% | 93.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BREVARD | PLANO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer | 55.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.3°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.0" | 40.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 121,513 | 284,948 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.8 ✓ Older | 38.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 56.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% ✓ More | 21.7% |
| Over 65 | 19.4% ✓ More | 13.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Palm Bay's cost of living index is 100.8 vs Plano's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Palm Bay is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Plano leads 13 of 23 categories. Palm Bay wins 10 and Plano wins 13. 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 Plano or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($226,200 vs $412,500 median home), income ($62,538 vs $105,679), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Palm Bay, FL and Plano, TX are about 1,019 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.