Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Suffolk, VA
🏆 Cape Coral leads 12 of 20 categories
Cape Coral
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,474
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912 ✓ Larger
Suffolk
Virginia
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,758 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
98
Population
94,856
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 1.9 pts lower (4.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 49°F
Cons
Median income trails Suffolk by $15,284/yr
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Suffolk
Suffolk, VA
Pros
Households earn $15,284 more per year on average
Rent averages $254/mo less ($1,376 vs $1,630)
More college-educated — 32.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Smaller class sizes — 14.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher unemployment (6.3% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Median Home Value
$12k less
$302,400 vs $314,400
Cape Coral
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
4.4% vs 6.3% unemployment
Cape Coral
Summer Heat
4.8°F warmer
July avg high 91.6°F vs 86.8°F
Suffolk
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 97.4 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Suffolk
Median Income
$15,284
$87,758 vs $72,474/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Suffolk, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 97.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 ✓ Lower | $314,400⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $1,376⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 | $87,758 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 29.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 7.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 89 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 98 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 75 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B (99) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 14.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 32.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 91.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Suffolk City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 49.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 86.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 51.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 5.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 ✓ Larger | 94,856 |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 38.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 70.4% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 23.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 14.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Suffolk's 97.4 (US average = 100).
Suffolk is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Cape Coral leads 12 of 20 categories. Cape Coral wins 12 and Suffolk wins 8. 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 Suffolk or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $314,400 median home), income ($72,474 vs $87,758), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Suffolk, VA are about 762 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.