Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Dayton, OH
🏆 Cape Coral leads 13 of 20 categories
Cape Coral
Florida
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,474 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912 ✓ Larger
Dayton
Ohio
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$41,443
Violent Crime Index
352⚠ High
Population
137,305
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Households earn $31,031 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.6 pts lower (4.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 36°F
More college-educated — 24.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Dayton
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Dayton, OH
Pros
Homes cost $216k less ($86,200 vs $302,400)
Rent averages $800/mo less ($830 vs $1,630)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.3)
Smaller class sizes — 17.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Cape Coral by $31,031/yr
Violent crime (1339.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4334.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (10.0% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Median Income
$31,031
$72,474 vs $41,443/yr
Cape Coral
Unemployment
5.6 pp lower
4.4% vs 10.0% unemployment
Cape Coral
Summer Heat
4.9°F warmer
July avg high 91.6°F vs 86.7°F
Dayton
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 92.3 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Dayton
Median Home Value
$216k less
$86,200 vs $302,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Dayton, OH |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 92.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 | $86,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $830 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 ✓ Higher | $41,443 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 21.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 7.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 294⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 352⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 206⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) ✓ Better | C (77) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 17.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% ✓ Higher | 19.6% |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 86.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Dayton City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 36.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 86.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 41.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 12.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 ✓ Larger | 137,305 |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 34.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 48.4% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 20.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Dayton's 92.3 (US average = 100).
Dayton is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Cape Coral leads 13 of 20 categories. Cape Coral wins 13 and Dayton wins 7. 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 Dayton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $86,200 median home), income ($72,474 vs $41,443), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Dayton, OH are about 917 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.