Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Richmond, VA
VS
St. Petersburg, FL
🏆 St. Petersburg leads 14 of 22 categories
Richmond
Virginia
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,606
Violent Crime Index
89 ✓ Safer
Population
227,171
St. Petersburg
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$70,333 ✓ Higher
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.
Richmond, VA
Pros
46% less violent crime than St. Petersburg
Rent averages $183/mo less ($1,227 vs $1,410)
More college-educated — 44.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
5% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Petersburg
Smaller class sizes — 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails St. Petersburg by $10,727/yr
Property crime (3179.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 4.6%)
Pricier housing — median home is $308,300
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (4.6%)
Households earn $10,727 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 48°F
Homes cost $19k less ($289,000 vs $308,300)
Cons
Violent crime (619.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,410/mo
Property crime (2458.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Richmond
Key Differences at a Glance
Richmond
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Richmond
Violent Crime
46% lower
336.9 vs 619.6 per 100k
St. Petersburg
Median Income
$10,727
$70,333 vs $59,606/yr
St. Petersburg
Median Home Value
$19k less
$289,000 vs $308,300
St. Petersburg
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
4.6% vs 6.1% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Richmond, VA | St. Petersburg, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $308,300⚠ High | $289,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,227 ✓ Lower | $1,410⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,606 | $70,333 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.1%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.0 min ✓ Shorter | 24.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.3% | 15.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 114⚠ High ✓ Safer | 145⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 151⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.1% ✓ Higher | 40.6% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% | 93.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Richmond City Public Schools | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.8°F | 69.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.5°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.1" | 46.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 227,171 | 259,343 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 42.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.2% | 62.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.1% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 13.8% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Richmond's cost of living index is 98.0 vs St. Petersburg's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Richmond is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, St. Petersburg leads 14 of 22 categories. Richmond wins 8 and St. Petersburg wins 14. 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 Richmond to St. Petersburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($308,300 vs $289,000 median home), income ($59,606 vs $70,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Richmond, VA and St. Petersburg, FL are about 739 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.