Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Winston-Salem, NC
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Cape Coral
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,474 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912
Winston-Salem
North Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,416
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High
Population
249,571 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Households earn $18,058 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (4.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 49°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Winston-Salem
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Winston-Salem, NC
Pros
Rent averages $674/mo less ($956 vs $1,630)
Homes cost $115k less ($187,400 vs $302,400)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 35.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Cons
Violent crime (809.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Cape Coral by $18,058/yr
Property crime (2921.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.2% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Median Income
$18,058
$72,474 vs $54,416/yr
Cape Coral
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
4.4% vs 6.2% unemployment
Cape Coral
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 91.6°F vs 88.0°F
Winston-Salem
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Winston-Salem
Median Home Value
$115k less
$187,400 vs $302,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Winston-Salem, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 | $187,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $956 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 ✓ Higher | $54,416 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% ✓ Higher | 10.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 183⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 213⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 35.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 87.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 48.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 88.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 43.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 6.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 | 249,571 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 35.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 53.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 23.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 14.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Winston-Salem's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Winston-Salem is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Cape Coral wins 10 and Winston-Salem 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 Winston-Salem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $187,400 median home), income ($72,474 vs $54,416), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Winston-Salem, NC are about 661 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.