Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clearwater, FL
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 Clearwater leads 11 of 19 categories
Clearwater
Florida
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,358
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High
Population
116,984
Lehigh Acres
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,733 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Clearwater, FL
Pros
Commutes run 13 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (4.7%)
More college-educated — 31.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Homes cost $56k less ($231,500 vs $287,900)
Cons
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 4.7%)
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Clearwater
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.5% unemployment
Lehigh Acres
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 102.3 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Lehigh Acres
Median Home Value
$56k less
$231,500 vs $287,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clearwater, FL | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.4⚠ High | 102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $287,900 | $231,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,389⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,398⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,358 | $59,733 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 16.4% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 99 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 104⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 31.9% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | PINELLAS | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 70.6°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.3°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 56.1" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 116,984 | 124,440 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 46.0 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.8% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 23.5% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clearwater's cost of living index is 103.4 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Lehigh Acres is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Clearwater leads 11 of 19 categories. Clearwater wins 11 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 Clearwater to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($287,900 vs $231,500 median home), income ($59,358 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clearwater, FL and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 117 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.