Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Lawrence, KS
🏆 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
Lawrence
Kansas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,834
Violent Crime Index
121⚠ High
Population
95,103
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Households earn $12,640 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 38°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (4.4%)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Lawrence
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Lawrence, KS
Pros
Rent averages $592/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,630)
More college-educated — 55.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Homes cost $55k less ($247,300 vs $302,400)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Cons
Violent crime (461.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Cape Coral by $12,640/yr
Higher unemployment (5.2% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Median Income
$12,640
$72,474 vs $59,834/yr
Cape Coral
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.2% unemployment
Cape Coral
Summer Heat
3.0°F warmer
July avg high 91.6°F vs 88.6°F
Lawrence
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Lawrence
Median Home Value
$55k less
$247,300 vs $302,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Lawrence, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 | $247,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 ✓ Higher | $59,834 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 11.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 114⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 121⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 103⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | A- (116) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 55.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% | 95.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Lawrence |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 38.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 88.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 39.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 10.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 ✓ Larger | 95,103 |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 43.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 12.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Lawrence's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Lawrence is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Cape Coral wins 10 and Lawrence 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 Lawrence or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $247,300 median home), income ($72,474 vs $59,834), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Lawrence, KS are about 1,145 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.