Tarpon Springs and Tampa receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Tarpon Springs
Tampa
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 32%
vs50 · Bottom 37%
Growth
24 · Bottom 11%
vs64 · Top 25%
Climate
82 · Top 11%
vs81 · Top 13%
Physical resilience
34 · Bottom 27%
vs35 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 48%
vs54 · Bottom 13%
Schools
70 · Top 26%
vs50 · Bottom 47%
Access
94 · Top 41%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
44 · Bottom 22%
vs53 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Tarpon Springs | Tampa | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,791 | 401,618 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,529 | $75,475 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $58,514 | $52,528 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,785/sq mi | 3,508/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $340,700 | $420,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,298 | $1,701 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.0% | 50.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.7% | 45.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.0% | 15.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 17 | 2,888 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 7.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -97.3% | 16.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 53°F | 53°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.6" | 49.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.2 min | 26.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 55.4 | 35.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 81 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.64 | 18.75 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 67.6% | 56.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 65.5% | 55.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 43.3% | 43.8% | 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
Tarpon Springs
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
Tampa
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.
Tarpon Springs
60
Your Score
56
Area Score
Tampa
61
Your Score
56
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Tarpon Springs, FL · Tampa, FL · How this is calculated: methodology