Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cedar Rapids, IA
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 Cedar Rapids leads 16 of 20 categories
Cedar Rapids
Iowa
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,895 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
69
Population
136,929 ✓ Larger
Lehigh Acres
Florida
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,733
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cedar Rapids, IA
Pros
Rent averages $512/mo less ($886 vs $1,398)
Homes cost $64k less ($167,900 vs $231,500)
Commutes run 18 min shorter each way
Violent crime is well below the national average (261.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (3.9%)
More college-educated — 32.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Property crime (2689.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 28°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Cedar Rapids
Median income trails Cedar Rapids by $7,162/yr
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 3.9%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cedar Rapids
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 90.0 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
Cedar Rapids
Median Income
$7,162
$66,895 vs $59,733/yr
Cedar Rapids
Median Home Value
$64k less
$167,900 vs $231,500
Cedar Rapids
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
3.9% vs 5.5% unemployment
Lehigh Acres
Summer Heat
7.8°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 82.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cedar Rapids, IA | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.0 ✓ Cheaper | 102.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $167,900 ✓ Lower | $231,500 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $886 ✓ Lower | $1,398⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $66,895 ✓ Higher | $59,733 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.8 min ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 10.6% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 93 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 69 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 128⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 32.9% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 94.0% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cedar Rapids Comm School District | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 27.9°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.8°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.9" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 136,929 ✓ Larger | 124,440 |
| Median Age | 37.0 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 69.6% ✓ Higher | 67.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.2% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cedar Rapids's cost of living index is 90.0 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Cedar Rapids is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Cedar Rapids leads 16 of 20 categories. Cedar Rapids wins 16 and Lehigh Acres wins 4. 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 Cedar Rapids to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($167,900 vs $231,500 median home), income ($66,895 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cedar Rapids, IA and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 1,204 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.