Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Athens-Clarke County, GA
VS
Cape Coral, FL
🏆 Cape Coral leads 11 of 20 categories
Athens-Clarke County
Georgia
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,798
Violent Crime Index
107⚠ High
Population
126,672
Cape Coral
Florida
11
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.
Athens-Clarke County, GA
Pros
Rent averages $585/mo less ($1,045 vs $1,630)
Homes cost $60k less ($242,300 vs $302,400)
More college-educated — 48.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Cons
Median income trails Cape Coral by $24,676/yr
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.4%)
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Households earn $24,676 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 55°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Athens-Clarke County
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Athens-Clarke County
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Athens-Clarke County
Median Home Value
$60k less
$242,300 vs $302,400
Cape Coral
Median Income
$24,676
$72,474 vs $47,798/yr
Cape Coral
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Athens-Clarke County, GA | Cape Coral, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 104.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $242,300 ✓ Lower | $302,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,045 ✓ Lower | $1,630⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $47,798 | $72,474 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.0 min ✓ Shorter | 28.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 10.8% | 11.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 107⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 107⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (123) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 10.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.0% ✓ Higher | 24.6% |
| High School or Higher | 89.8% | 92.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clarke County | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.7°F | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.0°F ✓ Warmer | 91.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.0" ✓ Drier | 57.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 126,672 | 198,912 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.7 | 48.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.6% | 77.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 17.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.5% | 24.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Athens-Clarke County's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Cape Coral's 104.9 (US average = 100).
Athens-Clarke County is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Cape Coral leads 11 of 20 categories. Athens-Clarke County wins 9 and Cape Coral wins 11. 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 Athens-Clarke County to Cape Coral or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($242,300 vs $302,400 median home), income ($47,798 vs $72,474), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Athens-Clarke County, GA and Cape Coral, FL are about 511 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
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