Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Baltimore, MD
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 Baltimore leads 12 of 20 categories
Baltimore
Maryland
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$58,349
Violent Crime Index
423⚠ High
Population
584,548 ✓ Larger
Lehigh Acres
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,733 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Baltimore, MD
Pros
More college-educated — 34.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Homes cost $29k less ($202,900 vs $231,500)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Rent averages $163/mo less ($1,235 vs $1,398)
Smaller class sizes — 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1606.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4157.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.9% vs 5.5%)
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (5.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 44°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Baltimore
Median Home Value
$29k less
$202,900 vs $231,500
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 102.7 on the COL index
Lehigh Acres
Median Income
$1,384
$59,733 vs $58,349/yr
Lehigh Acres
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Baltimore, MD | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.7⚠ High | 102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $202,900 ✓ Lower | $231,500 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,235 ✓ Lower | $1,398⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,349 | $59,733 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.1 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 13.4% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 333⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 423⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 198⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (95) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.9% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 87.1% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Baltimore City Public Schools | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 43.7°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.1°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.7" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 19.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 584,548 ✓ Larger | 124,440 |
| Median Age | 36.0 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.8% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.8% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Baltimore's cost of living index is 102.7 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Lehigh Acres is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Baltimore leads 12 of 20 categories. Baltimore wins 12 and Lehigh Acres wins 8. 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 Baltimore to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($202,900 vs $231,500 median home), income ($58,349 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Baltimore, MD and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 923 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.