Clearwater FL vs Mount Vernon NY — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Clearwater, FL

Florida · Population: 117,075

  • Median HH Income$64,440
  • Median Home Price$341,503
  • Unemployment4.7%
  • Bachelor's+32.5%

Mount Vernon, NY

New York · Population: 72,528

  • Median HH Income$77,171
  • Median Home Price$579,771
  • Unemployment6.9%
  • Bachelor's+35.0%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Clearwater
117,075
Clearwater +
Mount Vernon
72,528
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Clearwater
N/A
Mount Vernon
N/A
Median Age
Clearwater
46.4
Mount Vernon
41.9
Mount Vernon +
Foreign Born
Clearwater
17.0%
Mount Vernon
31.9%
Mount Vernon +
White
Clearwater
70.3%
Clearwater +
Mount Vernon
16.2%
Black
Clearwater
10.2%
Mount Vernon
60.4%
Mount Vernon +
Asian
Clearwater
3.6%
Clearwater +
Mount Vernon
2.2%
Hispanic
Clearwater
17.1%
Mount Vernon
18.3%
Mount Vernon +
Spanish at Home
Clearwater
N/A
Mount Vernon
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Clearwater
$64,440
Mount Vernon
$77,171
Mount Vernon +
Per Capita Income
Clearwater
$42,934
Clearwater +
Mount Vernon
$42,158
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Clearwater
$65,328
Mount Vernon
$77,425
Mount Vernon +
Unemployment Rate
Clearwater
4.7%
Clearwater +
Mount Vernon
6.9%
Poverty Rate
Clearwater
15.4%
Mount Vernon
13.6%
Mount Vernon +
Bachelor's Degree+
Clearwater
32.5%
Mount Vernon
35.0%
Mount Vernon +

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Clearwater
$341,503
Clearwater +
Mount Vernon
$579,771
Homeownership Rate
Clearwater
59.1%
Clearwater +
Mount Vernon
42.1%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Clearwater
324
Clearwater +
Mount Vernon
434
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Clearwater
1453
Clearwater +
Mount Vernon
1736

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Clearwater
33.3%
Mount Vernon
33.2%
Mount Vernon +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Clearwater
13.5%
Clearwater +
Mount Vernon
13.6%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Clearwater
16.8%
Mount Vernon
16.3%
Mount Vernon +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Clearwater
14.7%
Mount Vernon
9.3%
Mount Vernon +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Clearwater
15.6%
Mount Vernon
12.8%
Mount Vernon +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Clearwater
14.0%
Mount Vernon
12.8%
Mount Vernon +

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Clearwater
73.8°F
Mount Vernon
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Clearwater
54.7 in
Mount Vernon
N/A

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Clearwater
7.2 µg/m³
Clearwater +
Mount Vernon
8.1 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Clearwater
75.0%
Mount Vernon
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Clearwater
25.3 min
Clearwater +
Mount Vernon
38.6 min

Which City is Right for You?

Mount Vernon leads in median household income at $77,171, while clearwater offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $341,503. On public safety, Clearwater is safer with a violent crime rate of 324 per 100,000 residents, compared to 434 in Mount Vernon. Clearwater has a lower unemployment rate at 4.7%, and Clearwater has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Mount Vernon scores better with a lower obesity rate of 33.2%.

Compare More Cities

About Clearwater & Mount Vernon