Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boulder, CO
VS
Cape Coral, FL
🏆 Cape Coral leads 12 of 20 categories
Boulder
Colorado
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$80,243 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
85
Population
106,598
Cape Coral
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,474
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Boulder, CO
Pros
More college-educated — 76.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Households earn $7,769 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 17.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $919,700
Higher rents — median is $1,853/mo
Property crime (2733.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.4%)
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Homes cost $617k less ($302,400 vs $919,700)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 47°F
Rent averages $223/mo less ($1,630 vs $1,853)
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Boulder
Cons
Median income trails Boulder by $7,769/yr
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Boulder
Median Income
$7,769
$80,243 vs $72,474/yr
Cape Coral
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 104.9 vs 107.2 (100 = US avg)
Cape Coral
Median Home Value
$617k less
$302,400 vs $919,700
Cape Coral
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.4% unemployment
Cape Coral
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 91.6°F vs 88.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boulder, CO | Cape Coral, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.2⚠ High | 104.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $919,700⚠ High | $302,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,853⚠ High | $1,630⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $80,243 ✓ Higher | $72,474 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter | 28.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 28.0% ✓ Higher | 11.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 103⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 85 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 130⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.6% ✓ Higher | 24.6% |
| High School or Higher | 96.9% ✓ Higher | 92.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Boulder Valley School District No. Re2 | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.0°F | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.0°F | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.7" ✓ Drier | 57.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 85.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 106,598 | 198,912 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 48.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.2% | 77.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 11.7% | 17.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.2% | 24.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boulder's cost of living index is 107.2 vs Cape Coral's 104.9 (US average = 100).
Cape Coral is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Cape Coral leads 12 of 20 categories. Boulder wins 8 and Cape Coral wins 12. 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 Boulder to Cape Coral or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($919,700 vs $302,400 median home), income ($80,243 vs $72,474), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boulder, CO and Cape Coral, FL are about 1,622 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.