St. Petersburg receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
St. Petersburg
Fort Lauderdale
Opportunity
58 · Top 43%
vs51 · Bottom 39%
Growth
69 · Top 14%
vs59 · Top 39%
Climate
83 · Top 14%
vs81 · Top 16%
Physical resilience
34 · Bottom 26%
vs21 · Bottom 15%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 32%
vs53 · Bottom 17%
Access
99 · Top 23%
vs99 · Top 22%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 31%
vs42 · Bottom 17%
Measured values
| Metric | St. Petersburg | Fort Lauderdale | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 262,732 | 185,604 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,192 | $83,130 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,961 | $59,629 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,251/sq mi | 5,367/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $371,100 | $486,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,663 | $1,854 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.8% | 54.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.6% | 40.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.5% | 15.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,841 | 970 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.9 | 5.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 175.3% | -5.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 55°F | 59°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 46.6" | 56.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.7 min | 28.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.1 | 42.8 | 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
St. Petersburg
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
Fort Lauderdale
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.
St. Petersburg
64
Your Score
62
Area Score
Fort Lauderdale
58
Your Score
55
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: St. Petersburg, FL · Fort Lauderdale, FL · How this is calculated: methodology