Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Sunrise, FL
VS
West Palm Beach, FL
🏆 West Palm Beach leads 10 of 18 categories
Sunrise
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,001 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
96,510
West Palm Beach
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,044
Violent Crime Index
152⚠ High
Population
117,588 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Sunrise, FL
Pros
Homes cost $29k less ($296,100 vs $324,800)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,846/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
West Palm Beach, FL
Pros
Rent averages $232/mo less ($1,614 vs $1,846)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 37.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 16.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (575.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Pricier housing — median home is $324,800
Key Differences at a Glance
Sunrise
Median Income
$1,957
$66,001 vs $64,044/yr
Sunrise
Median Home Value
$29k less
$296,100 vs $324,800
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 111.8 on the COL index
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Sunrise, FL | West Palm Beach, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.8⚠ High | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $296,100 ✓ Lower | $324,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,846⚠ High | $1,614⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $66,001 ✓ Higher | $64,044 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High | 6.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.2 min | 23.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.0% | 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 | — | 152⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 102⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (91) | B (103) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.7:1 | 16.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.1% | 37.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 91.0% ✓ Higher | 86.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROWARD | PALM BEACH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.2°F ✓ Warmer | 74.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer | 90.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 67.9" | 61.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 96,510 | 117,588 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 42.3 ✓ Older | 40.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.6% ✓ Higher | 49.8% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% ✓ More | 17.6% |
| Over 65 | 19.8% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Sunrise's cost of living index is 111.8 vs West Palm Beach's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 18 decided categories above, West Palm Beach leads 10 of 18 categories. Sunrise wins 8 and West Palm Beach 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 Sunrise to West Palm Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($296,100 vs $324,800 median home), income ($66,001 vs $64,044), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Sunrise, FL and West Palm Beach, FL are about 40 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.