Palm Coast receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Palm Coast
New Smyrna Beach
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 40%
vs50 · Bottom 37%
Growth
81 · Top 4%
vs56 · Top 40%
Climate
82 · Top 11%
vs82 · Top 11%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 13%
vs25 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 21%
vs66 · Bottom 28%
Schools
53 · Top 48%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Access
86 · Bottom 32%
vs90 · Bottom 42%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 19%
vs37 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | Palm Coast | New Smyrna Beach | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 98,258 | 31,974 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,350 | $83,865 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,023 | $57,656 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,020/sq mi | 844/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $350,800 | $395,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,782 | $1,712 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.9% | 77.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.7% | 40.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.6% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,125 | 195 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 21.6 | 6.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 15.4% | -46.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 49°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.3" | 51.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 30 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.5 min | 30.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 50.4 | 57.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.52 | 19.43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 57.3% | 53.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 56.7% | 55.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 36.7% | 41.6% | 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
Palm Coast
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
New Smyrna Beach
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Palm Coast
59
Your Score
57
Area Score
New Smyrna Beach
57
Your Score
54
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Palm Coast, FL · New Smyrna Beach, FL · How this is calculated: methodology