Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Palm Coast, FL
VS
Portsmouth, VA
🏆 Palm Coast leads 10 of 19 categories
Palm Coast
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$68,824 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
91,082
Portsmouth
Virginia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,154
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High
Population
97,384 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Palm Coast, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (4.1%)
Households earn $11,670 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 49°F
More college-educated — 26.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,621/mo
Longer commutes — 28.0 min average each way
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Portsmouth
Portsmouth, VA
Pros
Homes cost $70k less ($213,300 vs $283,300)
Rent averages $396/mo less ($1,225 vs $1,621)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Palm Coast
Smaller class sizes — 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (752.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Palm Coast by $11,670/yr
Property crime (3860.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 4.1%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Palm Coast
Median Income
$11,670
$68,824 vs $57,154/yr
Palm Coast
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
4.1% vs 6.6% unemployment
Portsmouth
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 104.5 (100 = US avg)
Portsmouth
Median Home Value
$70k less
$213,300 vs $283,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Palm Coast, FL | Portsmouth, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.5⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $283,300 | $213,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,621⚠ High | $1,225 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $68,824 ✓ Higher | $57,154 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.0 min⚠ High | 23.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.1% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 192⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 198⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 184⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.6:1 | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.4% ✓ Higher | 21.2% |
| High School or Higher | 91.8% ✓ Higher | 89.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FLAGLER | Portsmouth City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer | 48.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.8°F | 88.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.3" | 50.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,082 | 97,384 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 50.3 ✓ Older | 35.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.9% ✓ Higher | 56.1% |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | 23.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 29.5% ✓ More | 15.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Palm Coast's cost of living index is 104.5 vs Portsmouth's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Portsmouth is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Palm Coast leads 10 of 19 categories. Palm Coast wins 10 and Portsmouth 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 Coast to Portsmouth or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($283,300 vs $213,300 median home), income ($68,824 vs $57,154), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Palm Coast, FL and Portsmouth, VA are about 579 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.