St. Petersburg FL vs West Palm Beach FL — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

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

St. Petersburg, FL

Florida · Population: 260,646

  • Median HH Income$73,118
  • Median Home Price$331,500
  • Unemployment4.9%
  • Bachelor's+41.3%

West Palm Beach, FL

Florida · Population: 119,508

  • Median HH Income$69,261
  • Median Home Price$399,650
  • Unemployment5.4%
  • Bachelor's+37.6%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
St. Petersburg
260,646
St. Petersburg +
West Palm Beach
119,508
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
St. Petersburg
N/A
West Palm Beach
N/A
Median Age
St. Petersburg
43.1
West Palm Beach
40.2
West Palm Beach +
Foreign Born
St. Petersburg
10.1%
West Palm Beach
27.2%
West Palm Beach +
White
St. Petersburg
66.2%
St. Petersburg +
West Palm Beach
44.0%
Black
St. Petersburg
19.4%
West Palm Beach
31.5%
West Palm Beach +
Asian
St. Petersburg
3.1%
St. Petersburg +
West Palm Beach
2.5%
Hispanic
St. Petersburg
9.3%
West Palm Beach
24.6%
West Palm Beach +
Spanish at Home
St. Petersburg
N/A
West Palm Beach
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
St. Petersburg
$73,118
St. Petersburg +
West Palm Beach
$69,261
Per Capita Income
St. Petersburg
$49,823
St. Petersburg +
West Palm Beach
$44,508
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
St. Petersburg
$65,328
West Palm Beach
$65,328
Tie
Unemployment Rate
St. Petersburg
4.9%
St. Petersburg +
West Palm Beach
5.4%
Poverty Rate
St. Petersburg
11.7%
St. Petersburg +
West Palm Beach
14.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
St. Petersburg
41.3%
St. Petersburg +
West Palm Beach
37.6%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
St. Petersburg
$331,500
St. Petersburg +
West Palm Beach
$399,650
Homeownership Rate
St. Petersburg
63.0%
St. Petersburg +
West Palm Beach
50.2%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
St. Petersburg
324
West Palm Beach
324
Tie
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
St. Petersburg
1453
West Palm Beach
1453
Tie

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
St. Petersburg
32.7%
West Palm Beach
29.1%
West Palm Beach +
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
St. Petersburg
12.2%
St. Petersburg +
West Palm Beach
13.7%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
St. Petersburg
16.6%
West Palm Beach
16.4%
West Palm Beach +
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
St. Petersburg
11.1%
St. Petersburg +
West Palm Beach
16.9%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
St. Petersburg
16.6%
West Palm Beach
13.3%
West Palm Beach +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
St. Petersburg
12.4%
St. Petersburg +
West Palm Beach
13.0%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
St. Petersburg
N/A
West Palm Beach
75.4°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
St. Petersburg
N/A
West Palm Beach
62.3 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
St. Petersburg
7.2 µg/m³
West Palm Beach
7.2 µg/m³
Tie
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
St. Petersburg
75.0%
West Palm Beach
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
St. Petersburg
26.8 min
West Palm Beach
25.0 min
West Palm Beach +

Which City is Right for You?

St. Petersburg leads in median household income at $73,118, while st. Petersburg offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $331,500. On public safety, West Palm Beach is safer with a violent crime rate of 324 per 100,000 residents, compared to 324 in St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg has a lower unemployment rate at 4.9%, and West Palm Beach has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, West Palm Beach scores better with a lower obesity rate of 29.1%.

Compare More Cities

About St. Petersburg & West Palm Beach