Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Mission Viejo, CA
🏆 It's a dead heat — 9 categories each
Cape Coral
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,474
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912 ✓ Larger
Mission Viejo
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,570 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
26
Population
93,233
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Homes cost $581k less ($302,400 vs $883,600)
Rent averages $992/mo less ($1,630 vs $2,622)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Mission Viejo
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 68°F
Smaller class sizes — 20.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Mission Viejo by $64,096/yr
Mission Viejo, CA
Pros
Households earn $64,096 more per year on average
More college-educated — 51.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (99.2 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 80°F vs 92°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $883,600
Higher rents — median is $2,622/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Cape Coral
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 104.9 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Cape Coral
Median Home Value
$581k less
$302,400 vs $883,600
Cape Coral
Summer Heat
12.1°F warmer
July avg high 91.6°F vs 79.5°F
Mission Viejo
Median Income
$64,096
$136,570 vs $72,474/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Mission Viejo, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 ✓ Lower | $883,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,622⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 | $136,570 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 27.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 18.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 38 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 26 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 56 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 51.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% | 94.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Saddleback Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 68.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 79.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 15.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 ✓ Larger | 93,233 |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 46.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% | 77.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 19.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 22.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Mission Viejo's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Cape Coral is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 18 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 9 categories each. Cape Coral wins 9 and Mission Viejo wins 9. 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 Mission Viejo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $883,600 median home), income ($72,474 vs $136,570), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Mission Viejo, CA are about 2,174 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.