Tampa and St. Petersburg side by side
These are the same measures for both cities, from the same publishers, so the rows can be read straight across. Jobs are reported for the shared Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro, which is why that row matches.
| Tampa | St. Petersburg | |
|---|---|---|
| Zillow typical home value (Aug 2026) | $377,566 | $354,074 |
| 1-year change in value | -0.3% | -1.1% |
| Zillow typical rent (Aug 2026) | $1,957/mo | $2,058/mo |
| Property tax | 19.8428 mills total (2025) | City levy 6.4525 mills (2025); total on the Pinellas County TRIM notice |
| Sales tax (2026) | 7.5% | 7.0% |
| Insurance context: Citizens HO-3 average, Hillsborough/Pinellas County | $2,918 (Hillsborough) | $2,993 (Pinellas) |
| Population (Census, July 2025) | 413,554 | 264,033 |
| Median household income (ACS 2020-24) | $75,475 | $75,192 |
| Average commute (ACS 2020-24) | 24.8 min | 25.6 min |
| Climate: Jan / Jul average high | 71.3°F / 91.0°F | 69.0°F / 89.6°F |
| Days a year at 90°F or hotter | 94.3 | 70.9 |
| Jobs | Tampa metro: 1,559,600 nonfarm jobs (Aug 2026), +0.9% on the year; unemployment 4.8% (Jul 2026) | Tampa metro: 1,559,600 nonfarm jobs (Aug 2026), +0.9% on the year; unemployment 4.8% (Jul 2026) |
Pinellas County total millage varies by taxing district inside St. Petersburg, so the row shows the city's own 2025 levy from the Florida Department of Revenue. Your full rate is printed on the TRIM notice for the parcel.
Tampa vs St. Pete: each factor compared
Buying a home
St. Petersburg is a little cheaper to buy into. Zillow put the typical home at $354,074 in St. Pete and $377,566 in Tampa in August 2026, a difference of $23,492. The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 owner-reported median points the same way ($371,100 against $420,400). Waterfront streets in either city sit well above these typical figures, so compare like with like. Tampa detail by ZIP is on the Tampa ZIP codes page.
How values have moved
Values eased in both cities over the year to August 2026: down 0.3% in Tampa and 1.1% in St. Pete. Five-year growth has been stronger in Tampa (21.4%) than in St. Pete (14.2%). Past growth does not predict future prices, but a softer year usually means more room to negotiate on price, repairs or closing costs.
Renting
Renting runs the other way. Zillow's typical rent was $2,058 a month in St. Pete against $1,957 in Tampa, and St. Pete rents rose 2.0% on the year while Tampa's fell 0.8%. So a renter pays about $101 a month more for a typical St. Pete unit even though buying costs less.
Property tax
The City of Tampa's own 2025 levy was 6.2076 mills and St. Petersburg's was 6.4525, according to the state's municipal report, so the city portions are close. On top of that come county, school and district levies. In Tampa the 2025 total was 19.8428 mills, which works out to roughly $6,649 a year with homestead on the typical home ($7,492 without). For St. Pete, look up the parcel on the Pinellas County Property Appraiser's site and read the TRIM notice rather than relying on an average. Homestead rules are the same statewide and are explained in our Florida property tax guide.
Insurance and flood exposure
Both cities front water, and Pinellas is a peninsula, so flood zones and evacuation zones cover much of the map. Citizens' average HO-3 premium was $2,993 in Pinellas and $2,918 in Hillsborough on policies in force at April 30, 2025. Its 2026 filing recommended $2,943 for Pinellas, a cut, and $2,939 for Hillsborough. Before you offer, pull the FEMA flood zone, ask the seller about past water intrusion and get an insurance quote. Tampa's flood rules are covered on the Tampa flood zones page.
Sales tax
Pinellas County's 1% surtax brings St. Pete to 7%, while Hillsborough's 1.5% brings Tampa to 7.5%. For certain transactions only the first $5,000 is subject to the county surtax, so on those items the gap between the two counties is at most $25.
Jobs and commuting between the two
The two cities share one labor market. The metro had about 1,559,600 nonfarm jobs in August 2026, up about 14,200 on the year, with July unemployment at 4.8%. Many residents live on one side of the bay and work on the other. Average one-way commutes are similar: 24.8 minutes for Tampa residents and 25.6 for St. Pete residents. Price the bridge crossing into your daily routine, and time it at rush hour.
Climate
St. Pete is milder because it is surrounded by water. NOAA normals show about 71 days a year at 90°F or more at the St. Petersburg airport station, against 94 at Tampa International. St. Pete's January average low is 55.3°F against 52.8°F in Tampa, but its July nights are warmer (78.0°F against 76.6°F). Annual rain is 46.65 inches in St. Pete and 49.48 in Tampa.
Population and growth
Tampa is the larger city with 413,554 residents in July 2025, against 264,033 in St. Petersburg. Tampa grew slightly over the latest year, while St. Pete's estimate fell by about 1,822 people. Median household income for 2020 to 2024 was nearly identical: $75,475 in Tampa and $75,192 in St. Pete.
Airports and bridges
Tampa International is the region's main airport and sits west of downtown Tampa. St. Pete-Clearwater International, a smaller airport, is about 9 miles north of downtown St. Petersburg. Heading south, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge carries I-275 from Pinellas to Manatee County; the toll for a two-axle vehicle is $1.16 with SunPass or $1.75 by plate.
Water and outdoor life
St. Petersburg sits on the Pinellas peninsula between Tampa Bay and the Gulf, with Gulf beach towns to its west. Tampa sits at the top of the bay, so beach days usually mean crossing a bridge. If being close to the Gulf is on your list, compare drive times from the specific streets you are looking at.
Is St. Pete considered Tampa?
No. St. Petersburg is its own city in Pinellas County, with its own mayor, city council and tax rate. Tampa is in Hillsborough County across the bay. The confusion comes from the region: the federal metro area is named Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, and "Tampa Bay" is often used for the whole area. For buying, the county matters because it sets your appraiser, tax collector and much of your millage.
Are people moving out of Tampa or St. Pete?
The Census Bureau's estimates show different paths. Tampa grew from 385,336 at the April 2020 base to 413,554 in July 2025, about 7.3%, and still added residents in the latest year. St. Petersburg grew from 258,358 to a peak of 265,855 in 2024, then slipped to 264,033. The estimates do not record why people move, so treat any single explanation with caution. What you can measure is cost: compare typical values, rents, Citizens insurance averages and tax rates in the table above, then get real quotes for the home you want. If you are weighing the wider region, the Tampa good place to live guide covers pros, cons and migration in more depth.
Choosing between Tampa and St. Petersburg
Use this list to see which way your own priorities point. It is a set of trade-offs, not a recommendation:
- Lower purchase price: St. Pete, by about $23,492 at the typical level.
- Lower rent: Tampa, by about $101 a month.
- Lower sales tax: St. Pete at 7% against 7.5%.
- Lower Citizens insurance average: Hillsborough today, with Pinellas due a recommended cut.
- Fewer very hot days and milder winter nights: St. Pete.
- Main airport close by: Tampa.
- Gulf beaches nearby: St. Pete.
- Your commute: test the drive from each side of the bay to your workplace at peak hours.
For a closer look at the Tampa side, start with Tampa neighborhoods and Tampa cost of living. We can also connect you with a local agent who works both sides of the bay.
Common questions
Is it better to live in Tampa or St. Petersburg?+
Neither is better for everyone. St. Pete has a lower typical home value ($354,074 against $377,566), lower sales tax and a milder climate. Tampa has lower rent, the main airport and a larger job base in the city itself. Both share one metro job market, so many people choose on housing cost, insurance quotes and commute.
Why are people moving out of Tampa, FL?+
Census figures do not show a net exodus. Tampa's estimated population rose from 412,981 in July 2024 to 413,554 in July 2025. Individual reasons for leaving are not measured, but the costs are: Zillow's typical value is $377,566 and Citizens' average Hillsborough homeowners premium was $2,918. St. Petersburg, by contrast, lost about 1,822 residents over that year.
Is St. Pete considered Tampa?+
No. St. Petersburg is a separate city in Pinellas County, while Tampa is in Hillsborough County. They share a metro area, officially Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, and people often call the whole region Tampa Bay. Property tax, permits and flood rules follow the city and county the home is in.
Which is more expensive, Tampa or St. Pete?+
It depends on whether you rent or buy. Buying is cheaper in St. Pete, where Zillow's typical value was $354,074 in August 2026 against $377,566 in Tampa. Renting is cheaper in Tampa, at $1,957 a month against $2,058. Sales tax is lower in St. Pete, at 7% against 7.5%.
How much is property tax in St. Petersburg compared with Tampa?+
The city portions are close: St. Petersburg levied 6.4525 mills in 2025 and Tampa 6.2076. Tampa's full 2025 rate, including county and school levies, was 19.8428 mills. Pinellas totals vary by district, so check the TRIM notice for a St. Pete parcel. Homestead exemptions and the Save Our Homes cap apply in both.
Is St. Petersburg cooler than Tampa in summer?+
By day, slightly. NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals show a July average high of 89.6°F at St. Petersburg against 91.0°F at Tampa International, and far fewer 90°F days. But St. Pete's summer nights are warmer, with a July average low of 78.0°F against 76.6°F.
Sources
- Zillow Research: ZHVI and ZORI data, August 2026
- US Census Bureau: City and town population estimates, Vintage 2025
- Census Reporter: ACS 2020-2024 median household income, gross rent and home value (B19013, B25064, B25077)
- Census Reporter: ACS 2020-2024 aggregate travel time and workers (B08013, B08303), used for average commute
- NOAA NCEI: 1991-2020 annual climate normals
- NOAA NCEI: 1991-2020 monthly climate normals
- BLS: Tampa metro nonfarm employment (CES)
- BLS: Tampa metro unemployment rate (LAUS)
- Citizens Property Insurance: 2026 recommended rate filing, average HO-3 premium by county (December 10, 2025)
- Florida Department of Revenue: Discretionary sales surtax rates, calendar year 2026 (DR-15DSS)
- Florida Department of Revenue: Sales and use tax
- Hillsborough County Property Appraiser: 2025 final millage rates
- Florida Department of Revenue: 2025 municipal report (city millage by municipality)
- Florida Department of Revenue: Additional homestead exemption CPI adjustment
- Wikipedia: St. Petersburg, Florida
- Wikipedia: St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport
- Wikipedia: Sunshine Skyway Bridge (tolls)
- Wikipedia: Tampa International Airport