Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Hialeah, FL
🏆 Cape Coral leads 13 of 18 categories
Cape Coral
Florida
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,474 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912
Hialeah
Florida
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$49,531
Violent Crime Index
34
Population
222,996 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Households earn $22,943 more per year on average
More college-educated — 24.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Hialeah
Homes cost $22k less ($302,400 vs $324,300)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Higher unemployment (4.4% vs 3.7%)
Hialeah, FL
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (129.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (3.7%)
Rent averages $172/mo less ($1,458 vs $1,630)
Cons
Median income trails Cape Coral by $22,943/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Cape Coral
Pricier housing — median home is $324,300
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 Income
$22,943
$72,474 vs $49,531/yr
Cape Coral
Median Home Value
$22k less
$302,400 vs $324,300
Hialeah
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
3.7% vs 4.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Hialeah, 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 | $324,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $1,458⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 ✓ Higher | $49,531 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High | 3.7% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 29.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 11.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 37 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 34 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 41 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) ✓ Better | C+ (86) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 19.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% ✓ Higher | 19.9% |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 74.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | MIAMI-DADE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F | 76.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 90.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" ✓ Drier | 62.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 | 222,996 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 45.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 47.4% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% ✓ More | 16.9% |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 20.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Hialeah's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Cape Coral is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 18 decided categories above, Cape Coral leads 13 of 18 categories. Cape Coral wins 13 and Hialeah wins 5. 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 Hialeah or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $324,300 median home), income ($72,474 vs $49,531), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Hialeah, FL are about 118 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.