Hillsborough County vs Palm Beach County
Hillsborough County, Florida versus Palm Beach County, Florida: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Hillsborough County and Palm Beach County score about the same overall (50 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hillsborough County | Palm Beach County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $71k | $76k |
| Cost of Living | $58k | $60k |
| Home Value | $295k | $368k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.88% | 0.91% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 5.97% | 6.73% |
| Unemployment | 4.8% | 5.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 62°F | 67°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 84°F | 83°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 56.1 in | 64.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 222 days | 234 days |
| Summer Humidity | 73°F | 74°F |
| Comfortable Days | 141 days | 117 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 98.8 | 99.2 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 33.7 | 47.3 |
| Violent Crime | 521/100k | 814/100k |
| Property Crime | 605/100k | 1183/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,468,560 | 1,494,805 |
| Median Age | 37.6 | 45.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.60 | 0.57 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+13 |
| White (%) | 46.3% | 51.7% |
| Black (%) | 15.5% | 18.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 29.9% | 23.5% |
| Asian (%) | 4.2% | 2.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.1% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 26 min |
| Walkability | 9.9/20 | 10.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 23 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.0% | 89.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 1.32 | 0.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hillsborough County or Palm Beach County more affordable?
- Hillsborough County has the lower cost of living: its index is $58k, compared with Hillsborough County's $58k and Palm Beach County's $60k. Median rent is $1k in Hillsborough County versus $2k in Palm Beach County.
- Is Hillsborough County or Palm Beach County safer?
- Hillsborough County has the lower violent crime rate. Hillsborough County reports 521/100k and Palm Beach County reports 814/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hillsborough County or Palm Beach County?
- The median home value is $295k in Hillsborough County and $368k in Palm Beach County, so homes are more affordable in Hillsborough County.