Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Waterbury, CT
🏆 Cape Coral leads 12 of 20 categories
Cape Coral
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,474 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912 ✓ Larger
Waterbury
Connecticut
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,451
Violent Crime Index
85
Population
114,480
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 5.4 pts lower (4.4%)
Households earn $21,023 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 37°F
More college-educated — 24.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Waterbury
Waterbury, CT
Pros
Homes cost $140k less ($162,800 vs $302,400)
Rent averages $490/mo less ($1,140 vs $1,630)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 92°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Cape Coral by $21,023/yr
Property crime (2918.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.8% vs 4.4%)
Snowy winters — about 47" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Median Income
$21,023
$72,474 vs $51,451/yr
Cape Coral
Unemployment
5.4 pp lower
4.4% vs 9.8% unemployment
Cape Coral
Summer Heat
7.6°F warmer
July avg high 91.6°F vs 84.0°F
Waterbury
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 95.1 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Waterbury
Median Home Value
$140k less
$162,800 vs $302,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Waterbury, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 95.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 | $162,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $1,140 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 ✓ Higher | $51,451 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 27.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 107⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 85 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B- (91) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 12.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% ✓ Higher | 16.7% |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 81.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Waterbury School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 37.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 84.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 52.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 46.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 ✓ Larger | 114,480 |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 36.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 43.8% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Waterbury's 95.1 (US average = 100).
Waterbury is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Cape Coral leads 12 of 20 categories. Cape Coral wins 12 and Waterbury 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 Waterbury or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $162,800 median home), income ($72,474 vs $51,451), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Waterbury, CT are about 1,149 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.