Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Palm Coast, FL
VS
Springfield, MA
🏆 Palm Coast leads 11 of 20 categories
Palm Coast
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$68,824 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
91,082
Springfield
Massachusetts
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,677
Violent Crime Index
235⚠ High
Population
155,305 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Palm Coast, FL
Pros
Households earn $21,147 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.6 pts lower (4.1%)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 35°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 6% higher than Springfield
Springfield, MA
Pros
Rent averages $574/mo less ($1,047 vs $1,621)
Homes cost $85k less ($198,500 vs $283,300)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Palm Coast
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Palm Coast by $21,147/yr
Violent crime (891.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2835.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.7% vs 4.1%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Palm Coast
Median Income
$21,147
$68,824 vs $47,677/yr
Palm Coast
Unemployment
4.6 pp lower
4.1% vs 8.7% unemployment
Springfield
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 98.4 vs 104.5 (100 = US avg)
Springfield
Median Home Value
$85k less
$198,500 vs $283,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Palm Coast, FL | Springfield, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.5⚠ High | 98.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $283,300 | $198,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,621⚠ High | $1,047 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $68,824 ✓ Higher | $47,677 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.0 min⚠ High | 21.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.1% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 195⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 235⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.6:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.4% ✓ Higher | 20.0% |
| High School or Higher | 91.8% ✓ Higher | 79.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FLAGLER | Springfield |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer | 34.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.8°F ✓ Warmer | 84.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51.3" | 50.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 51.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 91,082 | 155,305 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 50.3 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.9% ✓ Higher | 47.8% |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | 24.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 29.5% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Palm Coast's cost of living index is 104.5 vs Springfield's 98.4 (US average = 100).
Springfield is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Palm Coast leads 11 of 20 categories. Palm Coast wins 11 and Springfield 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 Springfield or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($283,300 vs $198,500 median home), income ($68,824 vs $47,677), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Palm Coast, FL and Springfield, MA are about 995 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.