Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Portland, OR
VS
St. Petersburg, FL
🏆 St. Petersburg leads 16 of 23 categories
Portland
Oregon
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,876 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
190⚠ High
Population
646,101 ✓ Larger
St. Petersburg
Florida
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$70,333
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
259,343
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Portland, OR
Pros
Households earn $15,543 more per year on average
More college-educated — 52.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 80°F vs 90°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $523,100
Violent crime (720.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5526.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.6%)
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
Homes cost $234k less ($289,000 vs $523,100)
14% less violent crime than Portland
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.6%)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 47°F
Rent averages $120/mo less ($1,410 vs $1,530)
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Portland
Cons
Violent crime (619.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Portland by $15,543/yr
Property crime (2458.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Portland
Median Income
$15,543
$85,876 vs $70,333/yr
St. Petersburg
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 106.6 (100 = US avg)
St. Petersburg
Violent Crime
14% lower
619.6 vs 720.1 per 100k
St. Petersburg
Median Home Value
$234k less
$289,000 vs $523,100
St. Petersburg
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.6% unemployment
St. Petersburg
Summer Heat
9.3°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 80.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Portland, OR | St. Petersburg, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.6⚠ High | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $523,100⚠ High | $289,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,530⚠ High | $1,410⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,876 ✓ Higher | $70,333 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.8 min | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 22.0% ✓ Higher | 15.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 219⚠ High | 145⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 190⚠ High | 163⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 263⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (112) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.0:1 | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.5% ✓ Higher | 40.6% |
| High School or Higher | 93.4% | 93.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Portland SD 1J | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.9°F | 69.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 80.3°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.9" ✓ Drier | 46.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 646,101 ✓ Larger | 259,343 |
| Median Age | 38.3 | 42.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 53.3% | 62.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.8% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 14.0% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Portland's cost of living index is 106.6 vs St. Petersburg's 103.4 (US average = 100).
St. Petersburg is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Petersburg leads 16 of 23 categories. Portland wins 7 and St. Petersburg wins 16. 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 Portland to St. Petersburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($523,100 vs $289,000 median home), income ($85,876 vs $70,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Portland, OR and St. Petersburg, FL are about 2,499 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.