Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Albany, NY
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 Albany leads 11 of 20 categories
Albany
New York
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,736
Violent Crime Index
215⚠ High
Population
99,692
Lehigh Acres
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,733 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Albany, NY
Pros
Commutes run 17 min shorter each way
Rent averages $268/mo less ($1,130 vs $1,398)
More college-educated — 43.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Homes cost $18k less ($213,400 vs $231,500)
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 91°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (816.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2848.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.0% vs 5.5%)
Median income trails Lehigh Acres by $4,997/yr
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.5 pts lower (5.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 33°F
Households earn $4,997 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Albany
Key Differences at a Glance
Albany
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 97.6 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
Albany
Median Home Value
$18k less
$213,400 vs $231,500
Lehigh Acres
Median Income
$4,997
$59,733 vs $54,736/yr
Lehigh Acres
Unemployment
2.5 pp lower
5.5% vs 8.0% unemployment
Lehigh Acres
Summer Heat
6.7°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 83.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Albany, NY | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.6 ✓ Cheaper | 102.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $213,400 ✓ Lower | $231,500 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,130 ✓ Lower | $1,398⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,736 | $59,733 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.0%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 183⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 215⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 136⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 43.0% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 32.8°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.9°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.1" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 56.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,692 | 124,440 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.0 | 34.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.7% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 15.1% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.7% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Albany's cost of living index is 97.6 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Albany is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Albany leads 11 of 20 categories. Albany wins 11 and Lehigh Acres wins 9. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Albany to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($213,400 vs $231,500 median home), income ($54,736 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Albany, NY and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 1,194 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.