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
Tampa
Opportunity
68 · Top 23%
vs54 · Bottom 47%
Growth
58 · Top 41%
vs69 · Top 14%
Climate
80 · Top 20%
vs81 · Top 16%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 36%
vs35 · Bottom 26%
Housing affordability
50 · Bottom 13%
vs54 · Bottom 19%
Access
99 · Top 10%
vs99 · Top 10%
Economic stability
56 · Top 43%
vs53 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Orlando | Tampa | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 319,758 | 401,618 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,336 | $75,475 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,312 | $52,528 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,878/sq mi | 3,508/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $394,100 | $420,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,747 | $1,701 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 39.5% | 50.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.5% | 45.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.7% | 15.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,224 | 2,888 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.1 | 7.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -14.1% | 16.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 50°F | 53°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.4" | 49.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 26.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 35.9 | 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.
Tampa
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Orlando, FL · Tampa, FL · How this is calculated: methodology