Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Las Cruces, NM
🏆 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 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912 ✓ Larger
Las Cruces
New Mexico
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,013
Violent Crime Index
189⚠ High
Population
111,273
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Households earn $21,461 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.1 pts lower (4.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 59°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Las Cruces
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Las Cruces, NM
Pros
Rent averages $723/mo less ($907 vs $1,630)
Homes cost $105k less ($197,200 vs $302,400)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
More college-educated — 36.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.8)
Cons
Median income trails Cape Coral by $21,461/yr
Violent crime (720.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4873.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.5% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Median Income
$21,461
$72,474 vs $51,013/yr
Cape Coral
Unemployment
3.1 pp lower
4.4% vs 7.5% unemployment
Las Cruces
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 93.8 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Las Cruces
Median Home Value
$105k less
$197,200 vs $302,400
Las Cruces
Summer Heat
4.0°F warmer
July avg high 95.6°F vs 91.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Las Cruces, NM |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 93.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 | $197,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $907 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 ✓ Higher | $51,013 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 19.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 7.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 207⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 189⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 232⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | A- (113) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 11.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 36.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 87.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | LAS CRUCES |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 58.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F | 95.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 11.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 1.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 ✓ Larger | 111,273 |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 31.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 53.8% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 23.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 15.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Las Cruces's 93.8 (US average = 100).
Las Cruces is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Cape Coral wins 10 and Las Cruces 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 Las Cruces or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $197,200 median home), income ($72,474 vs $51,013), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Las Cruces, NM are about 1,538 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.