Head-to-Head · City Comparison
St. Petersburg, FL
VS
Tampa, FL
🏆 St. Petersburg leads 12 of 21 categories
St. Petersburg
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$70,333 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
259,343
Tampa
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,802
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
388,768 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
Homes cost $44k less ($289,000 vs $333,200)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.6%)
Households earn $3,531 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (619.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2458.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Tampa, FL
Pros
28% less violent crime than St. Petersburg
Cons
Violent crime (444.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $333,200
Median income trails St. Petersburg by $3,531/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
St. Petersburg
Median Income
$3,531
$70,333 vs $66,802/yr
St. Petersburg
Median Home Value
$44k less
$289,000 vs $333,200
St. Petersburg
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.2% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 103.4 on the COL index
Tampa
Violent Crime
28% lower
444.6 vs 619.6 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | St. Petersburg, FL | Tampa, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $289,000 ✓ Lower | $333,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,410⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,422⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $70,333 ✓ Higher | $66,802 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter | 24.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 15.7% | 16.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 145⚠ High | 98 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 163⚠ High | 117⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 117⚠ High | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.6% | 43.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 93.8% ✓ Higher | 89.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PINELLAS | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.0°F | 71.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.6" ✓ Drier | 49.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 259,343 | 388,768 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 42.9 ✓ Older | 35.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.6% ✓ Higher | 50.5% |
| Under 18 | 16.3% | 20.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.9% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
St. Petersburg's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Tampa's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, St. Petersburg leads 12 of 21 categories. St. Petersburg wins 12 and Tampa wins 9. 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 St. Petersburg to Tampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($289,000 vs $333,200 median home), income ($70,333 vs $66,802), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
St. Petersburg, FL and Tampa, FL are about 17 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.