Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Toms River, NJ
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Cape Coral
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,474
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912 ✓ Larger
Toms River
New Jersey
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$92,012 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35
Population
92,827
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 1.3 pts lower (4.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 42°F
Homes cost $54k less ($302,400 vs $356,100)
8% cheaper overall cost of living than Toms River
Cons
Median income trails Toms River by $19,538/yr
Toms River, NJ
Pros
Households earn $19,538 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (134.3 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 34.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 92°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $356,100
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 4.4%)
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Cape Coral
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 104.9 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Cape Coral
Median Home Value
$54k less
$302,400 vs $356,100
Cape Coral
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.7% unemployment
Cape Coral
Summer Heat
6.1°F warmer
July avg high 91.6°F vs 85.5°F
Toms River
Median Income
$19,538
$92,012 vs $72,474/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Toms River, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 112.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 ✓ Lower | $356,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $1,592⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 | $92,012 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 30.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 11.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 43 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 35 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 53 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 34.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% | 93.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Toms River Regional School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 41.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 85.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 52.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 23.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 ✓ Larger | 92,827 |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 42.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% | 80.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 21.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 18.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Toms River's 112.5 (US average = 100).
Cape Coral is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Cape Coral wins 10 and Toms River 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 Toms River or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $356,100 median home), income ($72,474 vs $92,012), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Toms River, NJ are about 1,026 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.