Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Palm Bay, FL
VS
The Woodlands, TX
🏆 The Woodlands leads 13 of 22 categories
Palm Bay
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$62,538
Violent Crime Index
91
Population
121,513 ✓ Larger
The Woodlands
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$142,384 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
62 ✓ Safer
Population
118,402
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
Homes cost $230k less ($226,200 vs $456,400)
Rent averages $378/mo less ($1,345 vs $1,723)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 63°F
Cons
Median income trails The Woodlands by $79,846/yr
The Woodlands, TX
Pros
Households earn $79,846 more per year on average
32% less violent crime than Palm Bay
More college-educated — 66.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (235.4 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $456,400
Higher rents — median is $1,723/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Palm Bay
Median Home Value
$230k less
$226,200 vs $456,400
The Woodlands
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 100.8 (100 = US avg)
The Woodlands
Median Income
$79,846
$142,384 vs $62,538/yr
The Woodlands
Violent Crime
32% lower
235.4 vs 347.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Palm Bay, FL | The Woodlands, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.8⚠ High | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $226,200 ✓ Lower | $456,400⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,345⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,723⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $62,538 | $142,384 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7%⚠ High | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.2 min ✓ Shorter | 28.2 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 7.8% | 17.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 74 | 62 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 | 62 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 48 ✓ Safer | 61 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | A (128) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 22.0% | 66.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% | 97.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BREVARD | CONROE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer | 63.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.3°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.0" | 54.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 121,513 ✓ Larger | 118,402 |
| Median Age | 41.8 ✓ Older | 40.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 72.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | 27.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.4% ✓ More | 13.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Palm Bay's cost of living index is 100.8 vs The Woodlands's 100.2 (US average = 100).
The Woodlands is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, The Woodlands leads 13 of 22 categories. Palm Bay wins 9 and The Woodlands 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 The Woodlands or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($226,200 vs $456,400 median home), income ($62,538 vs $142,384), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Palm Bay, FL and The Woodlands, TX are about 909 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.