Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Cajon, CA
VS
Fort Lauderdale, FL
🏆 Fort Lauderdale leads 15 of 19 categories
El Cajon
California
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$64,128
Violent Crime Index
114⚠ High
Population
105,721
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$75,376 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
182,673 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Cajon, CA
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $593,500
Median income trails Fort Lauderdale by $11,248/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Higher unemployment (8.1% vs 5.4%)
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pros
Homes cost $176k less ($417,600 vs $593,500)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (5.4%)
Households earn $11,248 more per year on average
More college-educated — 40.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 77°F vs 69°F
Smaller class sizes — 21.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Key Differences at a Glance
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 111.5 on the COL index
Fort Lauderdale
Median Income
$11,248
$75,376 vs $64,128/yr
Fort Lauderdale
Median Home Value
$176k less
$417,600 vs $593,500
Fort Lauderdale
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
5.4% vs 8.1% unemployment
Fort Lauderdale
Summer Heat
4.4°F warmer
July avg high 90.5°F vs 86.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Cajon, CA | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 111.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $593,500⚠ High | $417,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,686⚠ High | $1,627⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,128 | $75,376 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.1%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter | 26.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.8% | 14.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 97 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 114⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 71 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | B (98) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 23.8:1 | 21.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.0% | 40.3% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 84.8% | 89.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cajon Valley Union | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F | 76.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.1°F | 90.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.5" ✓ Drier | 63.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 105,721 | 182,673 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.6 | 43.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 41.7% | 54.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.6% ✓ More | 16.9% |
| Over 65 | 13.5% | 19.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Cajon's cost of living index is 111.5 vs Fort Lauderdale's 111.8 (US average = 100).
El Cajon is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Fort Lauderdale leads 15 of 19 categories. El Cajon wins 4 and Fort Lauderdale wins 15. 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 El Cajon to Fort Lauderdale or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($593,500 vs $417,600 median home), income ($64,128 vs $75,376), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Cajon, CA and Fort Lauderdale, FL are about 2,250 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.