Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY
🏆 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
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Kentucky
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,087
Violent Crime Index
69
Population
321,276 ✓ Larger
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 42°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.4%)
Households earn $6,387 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Lexington-Fayette urban county
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY
Pros
Rent averages $565/mo less ($1,065 vs $1,630)
Homes cost $55k less ($247,900 vs $302,400)
Violent crime is well below the national average (262.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 46.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Cons
Median income trails Cape Coral by $6,387/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Median Income
$6,387
$72,474 vs $66,087/yr
Cape Coral
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.0% unemployment
Cape Coral
Summer Heat
4.7°F warmer
July avg high 91.6°F vs 86.9°F
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 93.1 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Median Home Value
$55k less
$247,900 vs $302,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 93.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 | $247,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $1,065 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 ✓ Higher | $66,087 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 20.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 9.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 85 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 69 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 108⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | A- (114) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 46.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 92.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Fayette County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 42.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 86.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 49.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 14.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 | 321,276 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 35.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 54.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 20.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 14.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Lexington-Fayette urban county's 93.1 (US average = 100).
Lexington-Fayette urban county is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Cape Coral wins 10 and Lexington-Fayette urban county 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 Lexington-Fayette urban county or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $247,900 median home), income ($72,474 vs $66,087), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY are about 800 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
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