Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Riverside, CA
🏆 Cape Coral leads 13 of 19 categories
Cape Coral
Florida
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,474
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912
Riverside
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$83,448 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
155⚠ High
Population
316,076 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Homes cost $183k less ($302,400 vs $485,500)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (4.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 70°F
Smaller class sizes — 20.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Rent averages $81/mo less ($1,630 vs $1,711)
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Riverside
Cons
Median income trails Riverside by $10,974/yr
Riverside, CA
Pros
Households earn $10,974 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $485,500
Violent crime (589.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2832.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 104.9 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
Cape Coral
Median Home Value
$183k less
$302,400 vs $485,500
Cape Coral
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
4.4% vs 6.1% unemployment
Riverside
Median Income
$10,974
$83,448 vs $72,474/yr
Riverside
Summer Heat
3.7°F warmer
July avg high 95.3°F vs 91.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Riverside, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 107.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 ✓ Lower | $485,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,711⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 | $83,448 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 31.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 8.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 147⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 155⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | C+ (88) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% ✓ Higher | 24.4% |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 82.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Riverside Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 69.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F | 95.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 10.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 | 316,076 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 32.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 55.5% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 23.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Riverside's 107.9 (US average = 100).
Cape Coral is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Cape Coral leads 13 of 19 categories. Cape Coral wins 13 and Riverside wins 6. 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 Riverside or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $485,500 median home), income ($72,474 vs $83,448), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Riverside, CA are about 2,160 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.