St. Petersburg vs Tampa
St. Petersburg, Florida versus Tampa, Florida: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
St. Petersburg edges out Tampa on overall objective livability (57 vs 52 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | St. Petersburg | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $70k | $67k |
| Cost of Living | $57k | $58k |
| Home Value | $289k | $333k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.73% | 0.78% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 5.32% | 6.18% |
| Unemployment | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 62°F | 62°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 84°F | 84°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 56.0 in | 60.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 283 days | 222 days |
| Summer Humidity | 74°F | 73°F |
| Comfortable Days | 140 days | 142 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 19.4 | 53.4 |
| Air Quality | 22 AQI | 38 AQI |
| School Quality | 44.4 | 33.7 |
| Violent Crime | 2007/100k | 1798/100k |
| Property Crime | 2663/100k | 1712/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 259,343 | 388,768 |
| Median Age | 42.9 | 35.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.50 | 0.63 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 63.6% | 44.1% |
| Black (%) | 19.8% | 20.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.8% | 26.7% |
| Asian (%) | 3.4% | 4.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 15.8/20 | 13.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 16 mi | 7 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.4% | 91.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 24.14 | 14.12 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 St. Petersburg or Tampa more affordable?
- St. Petersburg has the lower cost of living: its index is $57k, compared with St. Petersburg's $57k and Tampa's $58k. Median rent is $1k in St. Petersburg versus $1k in Tampa.
- Is St. Petersburg or Tampa safer?
- Tampa has the lower violent crime rate. St. Petersburg reports 2007/100k and Tampa reports 1798/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in St. Petersburg or Tampa?
- The median home value is $289k in St. Petersburg and $333k in Tampa, so homes are more affordable in St. Petersburg.