Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Pasadena, CA
VS
St. Petersburg, FL
🏆 St. Petersburg leads 15 of 22 categories
Pasadena
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$97,818 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
126⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
137,554
St. Petersburg
Florida
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$70,333
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
259,343 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Pasadena, CA
Pros
Households earn $27,485 more per year on average
22% less violent crime than St. Petersburg
More college-educated — 54.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $981,600
Higher rents — median is $2,100/mo
Violent crime (480.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
Homes cost $693k less ($289,000 vs $981,600)
Rent averages $690/mo less ($1,410 vs $2,100)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.6%)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Pasadena
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Pasadena by $27,485/yr
Violent crime (619.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2458.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Pasadena
Median Income
$27,485
$97,818 vs $70,333/yr
Pasadena
Violent Crime
22% lower
480.4 vs 619.6 per 100k
St. Petersburg
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
St. Petersburg
Median Home Value
$693k less
$289,000 vs $981,600
St. Petersburg
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Pasadena, CA | St. Petersburg, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $981,600⚠ High | $289,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,100⚠ High | $1,410⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $97,818 ✓ Higher | $70,333 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.9 min⚠ High | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 20.2% ✓ Higher | 15.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 127⚠ High ✓ Safer | 145⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 128⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.1:1 | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 54.5% ✓ Higher | 40.6% |
| High School or Higher | 89.6% | 93.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Pasadena Unified | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.1°F | 69.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.1°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 20.1" ✓ Drier | 46.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 137,554 | 259,343 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 39.9 | 42.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.1% | 62.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.0% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 16.8% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Pasadena's cost of living index is 115.5 vs St. Petersburg's 103.4 (US average = 100).
St. Petersburg is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, St. Petersburg leads 15 of 22 categories. Pasadena wins 7 and St. Petersburg wins 15. 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 Pasadena to St. Petersburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($981,600 vs $289,000 median home), income ($97,818 vs $70,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Pasadena, CA and St. Petersburg, FL are about 2,138 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.