Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Waco, TX
🏆 Waco leads 10 of 19 categories
Cape Coral
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,474 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912 ✓ Larger
Waco
Texas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,421
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
140,545
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Households earn $25,053 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 59°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Waco
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Waco, TX
Pros
Homes cost $128k less ($174,100 vs $302,400)
Rent averages $592/mo less ($1,038 vs $1,630)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
More college-educated — 27.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Cape Coral by $25,053/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Median Income
$25,053
$72,474 vs $47,421/yr
Waco
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Waco
Median Home Value
$128k less
$174,100 vs $302,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Waco, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 ✓ Higher | $47,421 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 17.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 108⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 101⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 27.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 85.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | WACO ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 58.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F | 94.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 38.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 ✓ Larger | 140,545 |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 28.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 47.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 23.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Waco's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Waco is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Waco leads 10 of 19 categories. Cape Coral wins 9 and Waco 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 Waco or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $174,100 median home), income ($72,474 vs $47,421), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Waco, TX are about 977 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.