Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Savannah, GA
VS
West Palm Beach, FL
🏆 Savannah leads 12 of 20 categories
Savannah
Georgia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,748
Violent Crime Index
5 ✓ Safer
Population
147,583 ✓ Larger
West Palm Beach
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,044 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
152⚠ High
Population
117,588
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Savannah, GA
Pros
96% less violent crime than West Palm Beach
Homes cost $122k less ($203,300 vs $324,800)
Rent averages $398/mo less ($1,216 vs $1,614)
Violent crime is well below the national average (20.3 vs 380/100k)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than West Palm Beach
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails West Palm Beach by $9,296/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 6.2%)
West Palm Beach, FL
Pros
Households earn $9,296 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (6.2%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 61°F
More college-educated — 37.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $324,800
Violent crime (575.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,614/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Savannah
Key Differences at a Glance
Savannah
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 95.6 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Savannah
Violent Crime
96% lower
20.3 vs 575.8 per 100k
Savannah
Median Home Value
$122k less
$203,300 vs $324,800
West Palm Beach
Median Income
$9,296
$64,044 vs $54,748/yr
West Palm Beach
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
6.2% vs 7.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Savannah, GA | West Palm Beach, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 95.6 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $203,300 ✓ Lower | $324,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,216 ✓ Lower | $1,614⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,748 | $64,044 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2%⚠ High | 6.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.5 min ✓ Shorter | 23.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.9% | 11.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 132⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 5 ✓ Safer | 152⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 102⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (106) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.1% | 37.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% ✓ Higher | 86.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Savannah-Chatham County | PALM BEACH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.4°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.3°F ✓ Warmer | 90.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.0" ✓ Drier | 61.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 147,583 ✓ Larger | 117,588 |
| Median Age | 33.5 | 40.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.9% | 49.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.1% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 14.7% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Savannah's cost of living index is 95.6 vs West Palm Beach's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Savannah is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Savannah leads 12 of 20 categories. Savannah wins 12 and West Palm Beach wins 8. 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 Savannah to West Palm Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($203,300 vs $324,800 median home), income ($54,748 vs $64,044), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Savannah, GA and West Palm Beach, FL are about 370 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.