Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Anchorage, AK
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 Anchorage leads 11 of 20 categories
Anchorage
Alaska
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$95,731 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
267⚠ High
Population
290,674 ✓ Larger
Lehigh Acres
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,733
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Anchorage, AK
Pros
Households earn $35,998 more per year on average
Commutes run 17 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 37.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 67°F vs 91°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $363,800
Violent crime (1014.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2765.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 59" of snow per year
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Homes cost $132k less ($231,500 vs $363,800)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 21°F
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Anchorage
Cons
Median income trails Anchorage by $35,998/yr
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Anchorage
Median Income
$35,998
$95,731 vs $59,733/yr
Lehigh Acres
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 102.3 vs 104.5 (100 = US avg)
Lehigh Acres
Median Home Value
$132k less
$231,500 vs $363,800
Lehigh Acres
Summer Heat
23.2°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 67.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Anchorage, AK | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.5⚠ High | 102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $363,800⚠ High | $231,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,405⚠ High | $1,398⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $95,731 ✓ Higher | $59,733 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.1 min ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 8.7% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 213⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 267⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 132⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.0% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 94.2% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Anchorage School District | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 20.9°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 67.4°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 22.6" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 59.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 290,674 ✓ Larger | 124,440 |
| Median Age | 34.5 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.8% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.9% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.0% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Anchorage's cost of living index is 104.5 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Lehigh Acres is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Anchorage leads 11 of 20 categories. Anchorage 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 Anchorage to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($363,800 vs $231,500 median home), income ($95,731 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Anchorage, AK and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 3,883 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.