Head-to-Head · City Comparison
South Bend, IN
VS
Sunrise, FL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
South Bend
Indiana
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,056
Violent Crime Index
254⚠ High
Population
103,084 ✓ Larger
Sunrise
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,001 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
96,510
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
South Bend, IN
Pros
Homes cost $182k less ($113,800 vs $296,100)
Rent averages $911/mo less ($935 vs $1,846)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Sunrise
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (5.5%)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Cons
Median income trails Sunrise by $16,945/yr
Violent crime (965.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Snowy winters — about 65" of snow per year
Sunrise, FL
Pros
Households earn $16,945 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 32°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,846/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than South Bend
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Higher unemployment (6.5% vs 5.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
South Bend
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
South Bend
Median Home Value
$182k less
$113,800 vs $296,100
South Bend
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.5% unemployment
Sunrise
Median Income
$16,945
$66,001 vs $49,056/yr
Sunrise
Summer Heat
8.1°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 83.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | South Bend, IN | Sunrise, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $113,800 ✓ Lower | $296,100 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $935 ✓ Lower | $1,846⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $49,056 | $66,001 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.9% | 10.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 191⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 254⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 97 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (99) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.8% | 31.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.2% | 91.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | South Bend Community School Corp | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 31.8°F | 76.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.0°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.9" ✓ Drier | 67.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 103,084 ✓ Larger | 96,510 |
| Median Age | 33.4 | 42.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.5% | 69.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 26.9% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.7% | 19.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
South Bend's cost of living index is 91.4 vs Sunrise's 111.8 (US average = 100).
South Bend is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. South Bend wins 10 and Sunrise 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 South Bend to Sunrise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($113,800 vs $296,100 median home), income ($49,056 vs $66,001), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
South Bend, IN and Sunrise, FL are about 1,125 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.