Orlando receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Orlando
St. Petersburg
Opportunity
68 · Top 23%
vs58 · Top 43%
Growth
58 · Top 41%
vs69 · Top 14%
Climate
80 · Top 20%
vs83 · Top 14%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 36%
vs34 · Bottom 26%
Housing affordability
50 · Bottom 13%
vs59 · Bottom 32%
Access
99 · Top 10%
vs99 · Top 23%
Economic stability
56 · Top 43%
vs48 · Bottom 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Orlando | St. Petersburg | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 319,758 | 262,732 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,336 | $75,192 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,312 | $51,961 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,878/sq mi | 4,251/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $394,100 | $371,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,747 | $1,663 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 39.5% | 62.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.5% | 42.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.7% | 12.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,224 | 2,841 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.1 | 10.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -14.1% | 175.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 50°F | 55°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.4" | 46.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 26.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 43.1 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Orlando
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
St. Petersburg
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.
Orlando
66
Your Score
64
Area Score
St. Petersburg
64
Your Score
62
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Orlando, FL · St. Petersburg, FL · How this is calculated: methodology