Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Miami Gardens, FL
🏆 Cape Coral leads 14 of 19 categories
Cape Coral
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,474 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912 ✓ Larger
Miami Gardens
Florida
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$56,071
Violent Crime Index
109⚠ High
Population
111,618
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.5 pts lower (4.4%)
Households earn $16,403 more per year on average
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 24.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Miami Gardens
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Miami Gardens, FL
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Median income trails Cape Coral by $16,403/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Higher unemployment (7.9% vs 4.4%)
Longer commutes — 32.3 min average each way
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
$16,403
$72,474 vs $56,071/yr
Cape Coral
Unemployment
3.5 pp lower
4.4% vs 7.9% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Miami Gardens, 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 | $299,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $1,583⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 ✓ Higher | $56,071 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 32.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 112⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 109⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 116⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 19.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% ✓ Higher | 17.7% |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 82.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | MIAMI-DADE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F | 75.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" ✓ Drier | 68.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 ✓ Larger | 111,618 |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 38.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 64.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 16.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Miami Gardens's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Cape Coral is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Cape Coral leads 14 of 19 categories. Cape Coral wins 14 and Miami Gardens 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 Miami Gardens or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $299,700 median home), income ($72,474 vs $56,071), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Miami Gardens, FL are about 119 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.