Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cambridge, MA
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 Lehigh Acres leads 11 of 20 categories
Cambridge
Massachusetts
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$121,539 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
117,962
Lehigh Acres
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,733
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cambridge, MA
Pros
Households earn $61,806 more per year on average
More college-educated — 79.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (3.3%)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 91°F
Smaller class sizes — 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $997,600
Higher rents — median is $2,628/mo
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.6)
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Homes cost $766k less ($231,500 vs $997,600)
Rent averages $1230/mo less ($1,398 vs $2,628)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 37°F
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Cambridge
Cons
Median income trails Cambridge by $61,806/yr
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 3.3%)
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Cambridge
Median Income
$61,806
$121,539 vs $59,733/yr
Cambridge
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
3.3% vs 5.5% unemployment
Lehigh Acres
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 102.3 vs 111.6 (100 = US avg)
Lehigh Acres
Median Home Value
$766k less
$231,500 vs $997,600
Lehigh Acres
Summer Heat
5.9°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 84.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cambridge, MA | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.6⚠ High | 102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $997,600⚠ High | $231,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,628⚠ High | $1,398⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $121,539 ✓ Higher | $59,733 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.2 min ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 25.1% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 119⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 115⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 126⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A+ (135) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 79.9% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cambridge | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 37.0°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.3" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,962 | 124,440 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 30.6 | 34.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 33.6% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.9% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambridge's cost of living index is 111.6 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Lehigh Acres is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Lehigh Acres leads 11 of 20 categories. Cambridge wins 9 and Lehigh Acres 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 Cambridge to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($997,600 vs $231,500 median home), income ($121,539 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cambridge, MA and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 1,241 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.