Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Plano, TX
VS
St. Petersburg, FL
🏆 Plano leads 14 of 23 categories
Plano
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$105,679 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
284,948 ✓ Larger
St. Petersburg
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$70,333
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
259,343
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Plano, TX
Pros
76% less violent crime than St. Petersburg
Households earn $35,346 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (151.6 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 58.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $412,500
Higher rents — median is $1,699/mo
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
Homes cost $124k less ($289,000 vs $412,500)
Rent averages $289/mo less ($1,410 vs $1,699)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 56°F
Cons
Median income trails Plano by $35,346/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
Plano
Median Income
$35,346
$105,679 vs $70,333/yr
Plano
Violent Crime
76% lower
151.6 vs 619.6 per 100k
Plano
Summer Heat
4.7°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 89.6°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 103.3 on the COL index
St. Petersburg
Median Home Value
$124k less
$289,000 vs $412,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Plano, TX | St. Petersburg, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $412,500⚠ High | $289,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,699⚠ High | $1,410⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $105,679 ✓ Higher | $70,333 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.8 min | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.3% ✓ Higher | 15.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 52 ✓ Safer | 145⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 40 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (134) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.4% ✓ Higher | 40.6% |
| High School or Higher | 93.6% | 93.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PLANO ISD | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.9°F | 69.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.7" ✓ Drier | 46.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 284,948 ✓ Larger | 259,343 |
| Median Age | 38.9 | 42.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.7% | 62.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.7% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 13.7% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Plano's cost of living index is 103.3 vs St. Petersburg's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Plano is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Plano leads 14 of 23 categories. Plano wins 14 and St. Petersburg 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 Plano to St. Petersburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($412,500 vs $289,000 median home), income ($105,679 vs $70,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Plano, TX and St. Petersburg, FL are about 915 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.