Is Seattle cheaper than Tampa?

No. Tampa is cheaper: typical rent is $1,701 a month versus $2,030 in Seattle — 16% lower. Median household income is $123,860 in Seattle compared with $75,475 in Tampa, so Seattle has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Seattle or Tampa?

Tampa is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 32 versus 116 in Seattle — 72% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Seattle or Tampa?

Seattle has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Tampa — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

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City comparison

Seattle, WA vs Tampa, FL

Seattle, WA versus Tampa, FL is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $2,030 a month in Seattle and $1,701 in Tampa, and median household income lands at $123,860 versus $75,475. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Seattle takes job market, schools, and weather, while Tampa takes affordability and safety. The widest gap is crime index, where Tampa leads by 72% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Seattle can feel further apart than Seattle and Tampa do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Seattle and Tampa reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Seattle report Full Tampa report

Seattle, WA

Rent: $2,030/mo
Median income: $123,860
Crime index: 116
Schools: A
Weather: 66°F

Tampa, FL

Rent: $1,701/mo
Median income: $75,475
Crime index: 32
Schools: A-
Weather: 85°F

Rent

16% cheaper

Tampa rent is 16% cheaper than Seattle

Seattle

$2,030/mo

Tampa

Winner

$1,701/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,701 a month in Tampa versus $2,030 in Seattle, so Tampa is 16% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $3,948 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Tampa still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Seattle.

Median income

64% higher

Seattle's median income is 64% higher than Tampa

Seattle

Winner

$123,860

Tampa

$75,475

What this means for your life

Median household income is $123,860 in Seattle versus $75,475 in Tampa, so typical pay runs 64% higher in Seattle — about $48,385 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Seattle is the stronger labor market on paper. Tampa can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

72% lower crime

Tampa's crime index is 72% lower than Seattle

Seattle

116 (100 = avg)

Tampa

Winner

32 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Tampa's crime index is 32 versus 116 in Seattle (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 72% lower in Tampa. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Tampa is the easier city. Seattle can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

5% higher scores

Seattle's school scores are 5% higher than Tampa

Seattle

Winner

A · 88/100

Tampa

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

Seattle grades out at A (88/100) against A- (84/100) in Tampa — school scores run 5% higher in Seattle. The citywide gap is modest. For families with kids it is still worth checking the specific campuses you would actually use, because a small composite lead can disappear — or reverse — two neighborhoods over. Tampa is only the better school story if a campus you already researched beats this composite.

Typical weather

43% more comfortable

Seattle weather is 43% more comfortable than Tampa

Seattle

Winner

66°F typical

Tampa

85°F typical

What this means for your life

Seattle scores 43% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 66°F in Seattle and 85°F in Tampa. Seattle reads as mild, livable temperatures; Tampa reads as hot, long summers. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Seattle is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Tampa can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Seattle

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 64% higher ($123,860), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 66°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Parents — or anyone planning kids in the next few years — should weight Seattle first. School scores run 5% higher (A vs A-). Tampa only wins the school argument if you already have a specific campus in mind that beats this composite.

Open the Seattle report →

Fit check

Who should choose Tampa

Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy

Tampa is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 16% cheaper here at about $1,701 a month. Choose Tampa if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Tampa is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 72% lower than Seattle (32 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the Tampa report →

Bottom line

Seattle vs Tampa, called

If safety is your priority, Tampa is the clear choice.

If the job market matters more to you, Seattle pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Seattle offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Seattle vs Tampa FAQ

Is Seattle cheaper than Tampa?: No. Tampa is cheaper: typical rent is $1,701 a month versus $2,030 in Seattle — 16% lower. Median household income is $123,860 in Seattle compared with $75,475 in Tampa, so Seattle has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Seattle or Tampa?: Tampa is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 32 versus 116 in Seattle — 72% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Seattle or Tampa?: Seattle has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Tampa — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

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