Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Peoria, AZ
VS
St. Petersburg, FL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Peoria
Arizona
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$86,759 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
191,292
St. Petersburg
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
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.
Peoria, AZ
Pros
59% less violent crime than St. Petersburg
Households earn $16,426 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.7 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (3.9%)
3% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Petersburg
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $383,600
Higher rents — median is $1,638/mo
Longer commutes — 29.2 min average each way
Hot summers — July highs average 105°F
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
Homes cost $95k less ($289,000 vs $383,600)
Rent averages $228/mo less ($1,410 vs $1,638)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 90°F vs 105°F
More college-educated — 40.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (619.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Peoria by $16,426/yr
Property crime (2458.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Peoria
Key Differences at a Glance
Peoria
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 100.7 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Peoria
Median Income
$16,426
$86,759 vs $70,333/yr
Peoria
Violent Crime
59% lower
254.7 vs 619.6 per 100k
Peoria
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
3.9% vs 4.6% unemployment
Peoria
Summer Heat
15.0°F warmer
July avg high 104.6°F vs 89.6°F
St. Petersburg
Median Home Value
$95k less
$289,000 vs $383,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Peoria, AZ | St. Petersburg, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.7⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $383,600⚠ High | $289,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,638⚠ High | $1,410⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $86,759 ✓ Higher | $70,333 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.2 min⚠ High | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 17.1% ✓ Higher | 15.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 63 ✓ Safer | 145⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 57 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.6:1 | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.8% | 40.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.4% | 93.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Peoria Unified School District (4237) | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 65.2°F | 69.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.1" ✓ Drier | 46.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 191,292 | 259,343 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.4 | 42.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 75.0% ✓ Higher | 62.6% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 18.9% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Peoria's cost of living index is 100.7 vs St. Petersburg's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Peoria is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Peoria wins 11 and St. Petersburg wins 11. 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 Peoria to St. Petersburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($383,600 vs $289,000 median home), income ($86,759 vs $70,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Peoria, AZ and St. Petersburg, FL are about 1,803 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.