Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Palm Bay, FL
VS
Santa Ana, CA
🏆 Palm Bay leads 15 of 22 categories
Palm Bay
Florida
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,538
Violent Crime Index
91 ✓ Safer
Population
121,513
Santa Ana
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,210 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
130⚠ High
Population
311,379 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
Homes cost $398k less ($226,200 vs $624,000)
Rent averages $540/mo less ($1,345 vs $1,885)
30% less violent crime than Santa Ana
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Ana
More college-educated — 22.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Santa Ana by $21,672/yr
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
Households earn $21,672 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 91°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $624,000
Higher rents — median is $1,885/mo
Violent crime (493.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Palm Bay
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 100.8 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Palm Bay
Violent Crime
30% lower
347.2 vs 493.1 per 100k
Palm Bay
Median Home Value
$398k less
$226,200 vs $624,000
Palm Bay
Summer Heat
8.8°F warmer
July avg high 91.3°F vs 82.5°F
Santa Ana
Median Income
$21,672
$84,210 vs $62,538/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Palm Bay, FL | Santa Ana, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $226,200 ✓ Lower | $624,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,345⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,885⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $62,538 | $84,210 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.2 min | 25.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.8% | 8.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 74 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 ✓ Safer | 81 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.0% ✓ Higher | 17.9% |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% ✓ Higher | 65.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BREVARD | Santa Ana Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer | 69.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.0" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 121,513 | 311,379 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.8 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 44.8% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.4% ✓ More | 10.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Palm Bay's cost of living index is 100.8 vs Santa Ana's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Palm Bay is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Palm Bay leads 15 of 22 categories. Palm Bay wins 15 and Santa Ana wins 7. 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 Santa Ana or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($226,200 vs $624,000 median home), income ($62,538 vs $84,210), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Palm Bay, FL and Santa Ana, CA are about 2,232 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.