Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Charlotte, NC
🏆 Charlotte leads 11 of 20 categories
Cape Coral
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,474
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912
Charlotte
North Carolina
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,070 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
193⚠ High
Population
875,045 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 52°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Charlotte
Charlotte, NC
Pros
More college-educated — 46.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $231/mo less ($1,399 vs $1,630)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Smaller class sizes — 16.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (733.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3705.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Median Home Value
$10k less
$302,400 vs $312,800
Charlotte
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 97.0 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Charlotte
Median Income
$1,596
$74,070 vs $72,474/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Charlotte, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 97.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 ✓ Lower | $312,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $1,399⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 | $74,070 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 21.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 186⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 193⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 176⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B+ (108) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 16.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 46.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 89.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 52.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 90.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 43.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 | 875,045 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 52.1% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 22.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Charlotte's 97.0 (US average = 100).
Charlotte is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Charlotte leads 11 of 20 categories. Cape Coral wins 9 and Charlotte 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 Cape Coral to Charlotte or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $312,800 median home), income ($72,474 vs $74,070), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Charlotte, NC are about 596 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.