Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Allentown, PA
VS
Cape Coral, FL
🏆 Cape Coral leads 13 of 20 categories
Allentown
Pennsylvania
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,449
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
125,292
Cape Coral
Florida
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,474 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Allentown, PA
Pros
Homes cost $134k less ($168,800 vs $302,400)
Rent averages $428/mo less ($1,202 vs $1,630)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 92°F
Smaller class sizes — 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Cape Coral by $20,025/yr
Higher unemployment (9.2% vs 4.4%)
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.8 pts lower (4.4%)
Households earn $20,025 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 38°F
More college-educated — 24.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Allentown
Key Differences at a Glance
Allentown
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 98.4 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Allentown
Median Home Value
$134k less
$168,800 vs $302,400
Cape Coral
Median Income
$20,025
$72,474 vs $52,449/yr
Cape Coral
Unemployment
4.8 pp lower
4.4% vs 9.2% unemployment
Cape Coral
Summer Heat
5.2°F warmer
July avg high 91.6°F vs 86.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Allentown, PA | Cape Coral, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.4 ✓ Cheaper | 104.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $168,800 ✓ Lower | $302,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,202 ✓ Lower | $1,630⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,449 | $72,474 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 9.2%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 28.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 7.4% | 11.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 75 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (83) | C+ (87) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 18.3% | 24.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.9% | 92.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Allentown City SD | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.4°F | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.4°F | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.4" ✓ Drier | 57.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.1" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 125,292 | 198,912 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.4 | 48.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.3% | 77.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.6% ✓ More | 17.5% |
| Over 65 | 12.5% | 24.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Allentown's cost of living index is 98.4 vs Cape Coral's 104.9 (US average = 100).
Allentown is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Cape Coral leads 13 of 20 categories. Allentown wins 7 and Cape Coral wins 13. 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 Allentown to Cape Coral or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($168,800 vs $302,400 median home), income ($52,449 vs $72,474), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Allentown, PA and Cape Coral, FL are about 1,033 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.