City comparison
No. Tampa's crime index is 93 versus 162 in Austin, and its violent crime index is 112 versus 130, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Tampa is cheaper. Median rent is $1,701 a month versus $1,729 in Austin.
Safety is where Austin and Tampa split most clearly. Tampa scores 69 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,729 in Austin and $1,701 in Tampa.
This is a genuine split. Austin wins on the job market and Tampa wins on cost of living and safety. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
The crime gap is citywide. Tampa has rougher pockets and Austin has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Austin and Tampa are 936 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,729 a month in Austin to $1,701 a month in Tampa, down $28 a month (2%).
Median household income goes from $93,658 in Austin to $75,475 in Tampa, down $18,183 (19%).
The crime index goes from 162 in Austin to 93 in Tampa, down 69 points (43%).
The move
Tampa and Austin are 936 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,701 a month in Tampa to $1,729 a month in Austin, up $28 a month (2%).
Median household income goes from $75,475 in Tampa to $93,658 in Austin, up $18,183 (24%).
The crime index goes from 93 in Tampa to 162 in Austin, up 69 points (74%).
Austin, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Tampa, FL
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Austin and Tampa? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
2% cheaper
Tampa rent is 2% cheaper than Austin
Austin
$1,729/mo
Tampa
Winner$1,701/mo
Typical rent runs $1,701 a month in Tampa versus $1,729 in Austin, so Tampa is 2% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $28, or $336 a year: noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Planning to buy in Tampa? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
24% higher
Austin's median income is 24% higher than Tampa
Austin
Winner$93,658
Tampa
$75,475
Median household income is $93,658 in Austin versus $75,475 in Tampa, so typical pay runs 24% higher in Austin (about $18,183 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, Austin 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
43% lower crime
Tampa's crime index is 43% lower than Austin
Austin
162 (100 = avg)
Tampa
Winner93 (100 = avg)
Tampa's crime index is 93 versus 162 in Austin (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 43% 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. Austin can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Austin and Tampa are about even on typical weather.
Austin
68°F avg · 76°F highs · comfort 100/100
Tampa
75°F avg · 83°F highs · comfort 100/100
Austin averages about 68°F (76°F highs); Tampa averages about 75°F (83°F highs). Austin sits near 68°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Tampa sits near 75°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Austin is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 24% higher here ($93,658). Start with Austin if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Fit check
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 2% 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 43% lower than Austin (93 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.
Bottom line
Austin carries the heavier crime signal on this page (45/100 safety vs 62/100 in Tampa). That 17-point spread matters more than the $28 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
Tampa rent at $1,701/month is still below Austin's $1,729, so cost-sensitive households should weigh the lease before the paycheck.
Typical rent stays $1,701 in Tampa and $1,729 in Austin.
Tampa clears the bar on safety in this dataset. Austin deserves a serious look only when you already know the Austin block you would live on and the safety gap is acceptable.
Common questions
Ready to move to Tampa?
Next steps
Quotes and listings for Tampa when you're ready to act.
Keep researching
Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Austin and Tampa, plus other cities in TX and FL.
