Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Fort Lauderdale, FL
🏆 Cape Coral leads 12 of 19 categories
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
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Homes cost $115k less ($302,400 vs $417,600)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (4.4%)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Fort Lauderdale
Cons
Median income trails Fort Lauderdale by $2,902/yr
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pros
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $2,902 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $417,600
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.4%)
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Cape Coral
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 104.9 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Cape Coral
Median Home Value
$115k less
$302,400 vs $417,600
Cape Coral
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.4% unemployment
Fort Lauderdale
Median Income
$2,902
$75,376 vs $72,474/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 ✓ Lower | $417,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $1,627⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 | $75,376 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 26.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 14.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B (98) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 40.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 89.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 90.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" ✓ Drier | 63.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 ✓ Larger | 182,673 |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 43.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 54.2% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% ✓ More | 16.9% |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 19.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Fort Lauderdale's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Cape Coral is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Cape Coral leads 12 of 19 categories. Cape Coral wins 12 and Fort Lauderdale 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 Fort Lauderdale or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $417,600 median home), income ($72,474 vs $75,376), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Fort Lauderdale, FL are about 119 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.