Clearwater receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
New Port Richey
Clearwater
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 13%
vs44 · Bottom 25%
Growth
62 · Top 29%
vs26 · Bottom 13%
Climate
86 · Top 9%
vs82 · Top 11%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 12%
vs34 · Bottom 27%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 24%
vs48 · Bottom 9%
Schools
21 · Bottom 12%
vs53 · Top 48%
Access
92 · Top 50%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 15%
vs37 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | New Port Richey | Clearwater | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,425 | 117,247 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $47,606 | $66,381 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,106 | $44,653 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,805/sq mi | 4,478/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $183,100 | $361,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,193 | $1,658 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.9% | 58.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.2% | 32.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 82 | 50 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.7 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.8% | -3.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 53°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.9" | 53.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 24.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 53.6 | 46.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 26 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.42 | 15.21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 34.9% | 55.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 37.2% | 52.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 63.8% | 48.9% | 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
New Port Richey
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Clearwater
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
New Port Richey
52
Your Score
48
Area Score
Clearwater
53
Your Score
49
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: New Port Richey, FL · Clearwater, FL · How this is calculated: methodology