Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charlotte, NC
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 Charlotte leads 12 of 20 categories
Charlotte
North Carolina
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,070 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
193⚠ High
Population
875,045 ✓ Larger
Lehigh Acres
Florida
8
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.
Charlotte, NC
Pros
More college-educated — 46.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $14,337 more per year on average
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (4.7%)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Lehigh Acres
Smaller class sizes — 16.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $312,800
Violent crime (733.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3705.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Homes cost $81k less ($231,500 vs $312,800)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 52°F
Cons
Median income trails Charlotte by $14,337/yr
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 4.7%)
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Charlotte
Key Differences at a Glance
Charlotte
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 97.0 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
Charlotte
Median Income
$14,337
$74,070 vs $59,733/yr
Charlotte
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.5% unemployment
Lehigh Acres
Median Home Value
$81k less
$231,500 vs $312,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charlotte, NC | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.0 ✓ Cheaper | 102.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $312,800⚠ High | $231,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,399⚠ High | $1,398⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $74,070 ✓ Higher | $59,733 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.3% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 186⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 193⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 176⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.6% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 52.3°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.8" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 875,045 ✓ Larger | 124,440 |
| Median Age | 34.5 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 52.1% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.9% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charlotte's cost of living index is 97.0 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Charlotte is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Charlotte leads 12 of 20 categories. Charlotte wins 12 and Lehigh Acres 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 Charlotte to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($312,800 vs $231,500 median home), income ($74,070 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charlotte, NC and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 596 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.