Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Palm Bay, FL
VS
Savannah, GA
🏆 Savannah leads 12 of 19 categories
Palm Bay
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$62,538 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
91
Population
121,513
Savannah
Georgia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,748
Violent Crime Index
5 ✓ Safer
Population
147,583 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (5.7%)
Households earn $7,790 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 61°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,345/mo
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Savannah
Savannah, GA
Pros
94% less violent crime than Palm Bay
Violent crime is well below the national average (20.3 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Homes cost $23k less ($203,300 vs $226,200)
Rent averages $129/mo less ($1,216 vs $1,345)
More college-educated — 31.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Palm Bay by $7,790/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Palm Bay
Median Income
$7,790
$62,538 vs $54,748/yr
Palm Bay
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
5.7% vs 7.2% unemployment
Savannah
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 95.6 vs 100.8 (100 = US avg)
Savannah
Violent Crime
94% lower
20.3 vs 347.2 per 100k
Savannah
Median Home Value
$23k less
$203,300 vs $226,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Palm Bay, FL | Savannah, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.8⚠ High | 95.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $226,200 | $203,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,345⚠ High | $1,216 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $62,538 ✓ Higher | $54,748 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.2 min | 20.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.8% | 8.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 74 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 | 5 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B+ (106) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.0% | 31.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BREVARD | Savannah-Chatham County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer | 61.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.3°F | 92.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.0" | 52.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 121,513 | 147,583 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.8 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% ✓ More | 20.1% |
| Over 65 | 19.4% ✓ More | 14.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Palm Bay's cost of living index is 100.8 vs Savannah's 95.6 (US average = 100).
Savannah is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Savannah leads 12 of 19 categories. Palm Bay wins 7 and Savannah wins 12. 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 Savannah or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($226,200 vs $203,300 median home), income ($62,538 vs $54,748), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Palm Bay, FL and Savannah, GA are about 282 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.