Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 College Station leads 11 of 19 categories
College Station
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45
Population
120,451
Lehigh Acres
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High
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.
College Station, TX
Pros
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 19 min shorter each way
Rent averages $269/mo less ($1,129 vs $1,398)
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (4.7%)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Lehigh Acres
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $305,800
Median income trails Lehigh Acres by $7,336/yr
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Homes cost $74k less ($231,500 vs $305,800)
Households earn $7,336 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 62°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Cost of living runs 12% higher than College Station
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 4.7%)
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
College Station
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.5% unemployment
College Station
Summer Heat
4.8°F warmer
July avg high 95.4°F vs 90.6°F
Lehigh Acres
Median Income
$7,336
$59,733 vs $52,397/yr
Lehigh Acres
Median Home Value
$74k less
$231,500 vs $305,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper | 102.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High | $231,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 ✓ Lower | $1,398⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $59,733 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer | 90.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 | 124,440 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 34.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
College Station is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, College Station leads 11 of 19 categories. College Station 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 College Station to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $231,500 median home), income ($52,397 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 930 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.