Tampa receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Gulfport
Tampa
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 34%
vs50 · Bottom 37%
Growth
44 · Bottom 39%
vs64 · Top 25%
Climate
83 · Top 10%
vs81 · Top 13%
Physical resilience
34 · Bottom 27%
vs35 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 18%
vs54 · Bottom 13%
Schools
24 · Bottom 16%
vs50 · Bottom 47%
Access
98 · Top 20%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
28 · Bottom 5%
vs53 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Gulfport | Tampa | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,734 | 401,618 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,203 | $75,475 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,960 | $52,528 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,244/sq mi | 3,508/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $366,200 | $420,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,555 | $1,701 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.2% | 50.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.3% | 45.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.4% | 15.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 19 | 2,888 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 7.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 26.7% | 16.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 55°F | 53°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.6" | 49.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 26.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 58.8 | 35.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 81 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.92 | 18.75 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 39.6% | 56.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.4% | 55.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 64.7% | 43.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Gulfport
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
Tampa
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Gulfport, FL · Tampa, FL · How this is calculated: methodology