Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Norfolk, VA
🏆 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
Norfolk
Virginia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,998
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High
Population
236,973 ✓ Larger
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 2.3 pts lower (4.4%)
Households earn $11,476 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 50°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Norfolk
Norfolk, VA
Pros
Rent averages $442/mo less ($1,188 vs $1,630)
Homes cost $48k less ($254,200 vs $302,400)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 32.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Smaller class sizes — 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (469.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Cape Coral by $11,476/yr
Property crime (3772.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.7% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Median Income
$11,476
$72,474 vs $60,998/yr
Cape Coral
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
4.4% vs 6.7% unemployment
Norfolk
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Norfolk
Median Home Value
$48k less
$254,200 vs $302,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Norfolk, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 | $254,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $1,188 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 ✓ Higher | $60,998 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 22.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 7.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 146⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 180⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B (103) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 12.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 32.2% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 89.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Norfolk City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 50.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 88.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 45.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 3.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 | 236,973 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 32.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 44.8% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 20.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 12.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Norfolk's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Norfolk is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Cape Coral wins 10 and Norfolk 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 Norfolk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $254,200 median home), income ($72,474 vs $60,998), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Norfolk, VA are about 786 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.