Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Elgin, IL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Cape Coral
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,474
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912 ✓ Larger
Elgin
Illinois
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$85,998 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
70
Population
114,190
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 30°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (4.4%)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Median income trails Elgin by $13,524/yr
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Elgin
Elgin, IL
Pros
Rent averages $440/mo less ($1,190 vs $1,630)
Homes cost $60k less ($242,500 vs $302,400)
Households earn $13,524 more per year on average
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 92°F
Smaller class sizes — 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Cons
Higher unemployment (6.0% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
4.4% vs 6.0% unemployment
Cape Coral
Summer Heat
7.5°F warmer
July avg high 91.6°F vs 84.1°F
Elgin
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Elgin
Median Income
$13,524
$85,998 vs $72,474/yr
Elgin
Median Home Value
$60k less
$242,500 vs $302,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Elgin, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 | $242,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $1,190 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 | $85,998 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 28.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 10.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 63 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 70 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 52 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B- (94) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 26.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 81.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | SD U-46 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 30.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 84.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 39.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 32.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 ✓ Larger | 114,190 |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 35.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 71.2% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 26.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 12.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Elgin's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Elgin is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Cape Coral wins 10 and Elgin wins 10. 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 Elgin or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $242,500 median home), income ($72,474 vs $85,998), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Elgin, IL are about 1,122 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.