Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Elgin, IL
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Elgin
Illinois
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$85,998 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
70
Population
114,190
Lehigh Acres
Florida
10
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.
Elgin, IL
Pros
Households earn $26,265 more per year on average
Rent averages $208/mo less ($1,190 vs $1,398)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 26.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 91°F
Smaller class sizes — 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 30°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.5%)
Cons
Median income trails Elgin by $26,265/yr
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Elgin
Median Income
$26,265
$85,998 vs $59,733/yr
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 102.6 on the COL index
Lehigh Acres
Median Home Value
$11k less
$231,500 vs $242,500
Lehigh Acres
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.0% unemployment
Lehigh Acres
Summer Heat
6.5°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 84.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Elgin, IL | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $242,500 | $231,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,190 ✓ Lower | $1,398⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $85,998 ✓ Higher | $59,733 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.3 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 10.6% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 63 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 70 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 52 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (94) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.7% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 81.1% | 81.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | SD U-46 | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 30.1°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.1°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.9" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.1" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,190 | 124,440 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.5 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 71.2% ✓ Higher | 67.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.2% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.5% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Elgin's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Lehigh Acres is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Elgin wins 10 and Lehigh Acres wins 10. 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 Elgin to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($242,500 vs $231,500 median home), income ($85,998 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Elgin, IL and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 1,131 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.