Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Santa Ana, 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
Santa Ana
California
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,210 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
130⚠ High
Population
311,379 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Homes cost $322k less ($302,400 vs $624,000)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (4.4%)
Rent averages $255/mo less ($1,630 vs $1,885)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Ana
More college-educated — 24.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 69°F
Cons
Median income trails Santa Ana by $11,736/yr
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
Households earn $11,736 more per year on average
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 92°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $624,000
Violent crime (493.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Higher rents — median is $1,885/mo
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
$322k less
$302,400 vs $624,000
Cape Coral
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.5% unemployment
Cape Coral
Summer Heat
9.1°F warmer
July avg high 91.6°F vs 82.5°F
Santa Ana
Median Income
$11,736
$84,210 vs $72,474/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Santa Ana, 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 | $624,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,885⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 | $84,210 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 25.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 8.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 110⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 130⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 81 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 20.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% ✓ Higher | 17.9% |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 65.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Santa Ana Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 69.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 12.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 | 311,379 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 44.8% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 10.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Santa Ana's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Cape Coral is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Cape Coral leads 13 of 19 categories. Cape Coral wins 13 and Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $624,000 median home), income ($72,474 vs $84,210), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Santa Ana, CA are about 2,187 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.