Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Providence, RI
🏆 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
Providence
Rhode Island
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$61,365
Violent Crime Index
73
Population
189,715
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 2.8 pts lower (4.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 38°F
Households earn $11,109 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Providence
Providence, RI
Pros
Rent averages $416/mo less ($1,214 vs $1,630)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 34.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 92°F
Smaller class sizes — 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Cons
Median income trails Cape Coral by $11,109/yr
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Median Income
$11,109
$72,474 vs $61,365/yr
Cape Coral
Unemployment
2.8 pp lower
4.4% vs 7.2% unemployment
Cape Coral
Summer Heat
8.0°F warmer
July avg high 91.6°F vs 83.6°F
Providence
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 100.9 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Providence, RI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 100.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 | $293,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $1,214 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 ✓ Higher | $61,365 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 24.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 11.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 75 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 73 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 79 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B- (95) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 34.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 82.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Providence |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 38.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 83.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 47.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 36.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 ✓ Larger | 189,715 |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 32.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 39.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 20.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 11.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Providence's 100.9 (US average = 100).
Providence is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Cape Coral wins 10 and Providence 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 Providence or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $293,000 median home), income ($72,474 vs $61,365), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Providence, RI are about 1,208 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.