Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Tampa, FL
VS
Waterbury, CT
🏆 Tampa leads 15 of 23 categories
Tampa
Florida
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,802 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High
Population
388,768 ✓ Larger
Waterbury
Connecticut
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,451
Violent Crime Index
85 ✓ Safer
Population
114,480
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Tampa, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.6 pts lower (5.2%)
Households earn $15,351 more per year on average
More college-educated — 43.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 37°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $333,200
Violent crime (444.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,422/mo
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Waterbury
Waterbury, CT
Pros
Homes cost $170k less ($162,800 vs $333,200)
27% less violent crime than Tampa
Rent averages $282/mo less ($1,140 vs $1,422)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Tampa
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 91°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Tampa by $15,351/yr
Property crime (2918.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.8% vs 5.2%)
Snowy winters — about 47" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Tampa
Median Income
$15,351
$66,802 vs $51,451/yr
Tampa
Unemployment
4.6 pp lower
5.2% vs 9.8% unemployment
Tampa
Summer Heat
7.0°F warmer
July avg high 91.0°F vs 84.0°F
Waterbury
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 95.1 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Waterbury
Violent Crime
27% lower
322.5 vs 444.6 per 100k
Waterbury
Median Home Value
$170k less
$162,800 vs $333,200
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Tampa, FL | Waterbury, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 95.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $333,200⚠ High | $162,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,422⚠ High | $1,140 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $66,802 ✓ Higher | $51,451 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.8 min ✓ Shorter | 27.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 16.0% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 98 ✓ Safer | 107⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 117⚠ High | 85 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (103) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.7:1 | 12.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.3% ✓ Higher | 16.7% |
| High School or Higher | 89.0% ✓ Higher | 81.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HILLSBOROUGH | Waterbury School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 71.3°F ✓ Warmer | 37.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer | 84.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.5" ✓ Drier | 52.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 46.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 388,768 ✓ Larger | 114,480 |
| Median Age | 35.5 | 36.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.5% ✓ Higher | 43.8% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 13.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Tampa's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Waterbury's 95.1 (US average = 100).
Waterbury is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Tampa leads 15 of 23 categories. Tampa wins 15 and Waterbury 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 Tampa to Waterbury or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($333,200 vs $162,800 median home), income ($66,802 vs $51,451), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Tampa, FL and Waterbury, CT are about 1,080 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.