Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Raleigh, NC
VS
Tampa, FL
🏆 Raleigh leads 13 of 23 categories
Raleigh
North Carolina
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,631 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
129⚠ High
Population
465,517 ✓ Larger
Tampa
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,802
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
388,768
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Raleigh, NC
Pros
Households earn $11,829 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.5%)
More college-educated — 52.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Tampa
Smaller class sizes — 15.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (488.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2819.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Tampa, FL
Pros
9% less violent crime than Raleigh
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 52°F
Cons
Violent crime (444.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Raleigh by $11,829/yr
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 4.5%)
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Raleigh
Key Differences at a Glance
Raleigh
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Raleigh
Median Income
$11,829
$78,631 vs $66,802/yr
Raleigh
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.2% unemployment
Tampa
Violent Crime
9% lower
444.6 vs 488.8 per 100k
Tampa
Median Home Value
$14k less
$333,200 vs $347,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Raleigh, NC | Tampa, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $347,000⚠ High | $333,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,371⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,422⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,631 ✓ Higher | $66,802 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min ✓ Shorter | 24.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 20.1% ✓ Higher | 16.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 131⚠ High | 98 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 134⚠ High | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 52.7% ✓ Higher | 43.3% |
| High School or Higher | 92.4% ✓ Higher | 89.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.7°F | 71.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.1" ✓ Drier | 49.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 465,517 ✓ Larger | 388,768 |
| Median Age | 34.6 | 35.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.1% ✓ Higher | 50.5% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 20.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.4% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Raleigh's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Tampa's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Raleigh is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Raleigh leads 13 of 23 categories. Raleigh wins 13 and Tampa wins 10. 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 Raleigh to Tampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($347,000 vs $333,200 median home), income ($78,631 vs $66,802), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Raleigh, NC and Tampa, FL are about 588 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.