Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
St. Petersburg, FL
🏆 St. Petersburg leads 11 of 19 categories
Cape Coral
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,474 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912
St. Petersburg
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$70,333
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
259,343 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 69°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
St. Petersburg, FL
Pros
Rent averages $220/mo less ($1,410 vs $1,630)
More college-educated — 40.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (619.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2458.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Median Income
$2,141
$72,474 vs $70,333/yr
St. Petersburg
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
St. Petersburg
Median Home Value
$13k less
$289,000 vs $302,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | St. Petersburg, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 | $289,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $1,410⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 ✓ Higher | $70,333 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 15.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 145⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 117⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 40.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% | 93.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | PINELLAS |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 69.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 46.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 | 259,343 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 42.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 62.6% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 19.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs St. Petersburg's 103.4 (US average = 100).
St. Petersburg is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, St. Petersburg leads 11 of 19 categories. Cape Coral wins 8 and St. Petersburg wins 11. 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 St. Petersburg or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $289,000 median home), income ($72,474 vs $70,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and St. Petersburg, FL are about 87 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.