Head-to-Head · City Comparison
East Los Angeles, CA
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 Lehigh Acres leads 14 of 19 categories
East Los Angeles
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$64,119 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
147⚠ High
Population
117,222
Lehigh Acres
Florida
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,733
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
East Los Angeles, CA
Pros
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 91°F
Households earn $4,386 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 18.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $582,400
Violent crime (558.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Lehigh Acres
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Homes cost $351k less ($231,500 vs $582,400)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than East Los Angeles
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.5%)
More college-educated — 15.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 68°F
Cons
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Median income trails East Los Angeles by $4,386/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
East Los Angeles
Median Income
$4,386
$64,119 vs $59,733/yr
Lehigh Acres
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 102.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Lehigh Acres
Median Home Value
$351k less
$231,500 vs $582,400
Lehigh Acres
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.3% unemployment
Lehigh Acres
Summer Heat
8.6°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 82.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | East Los Angeles, CA | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $582,400⚠ High | $231,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,369⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,398⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,119 ✓ Higher | $59,733 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.8 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.0% | 6.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 124⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 147⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (68) | C (81) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 11.0% | 15.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 55.4% | 81.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Animo Ellen Ochoa Charter Middle District | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.0°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.0°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.2" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 117,222 | 124,440 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.2 | 34.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 34.9% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.8% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
East Los Angeles's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Lehigh Acres is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Lehigh Acres leads 14 of 19 categories. East Los Angeles wins 5 and Lehigh Acres wins 14. 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 East Los Angeles to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($582,400 vs $231,500 median home), income ($64,119 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
East Los Angeles, CA and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 2,226 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.