Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Elk Grove, CA
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 Elk Grove leads 12 of 19 categories
Elk Grove
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$115,864 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
50
Population
176,105 ✓ Larger
Lehigh Acres
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,733
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Elk Grove, CA
Pros
Households earn $56,131 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (189.9 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 37.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $560,500
Higher rents — median is $2,076/mo
Higher unemployment (6.4% vs 5.5%)
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Lehigh Acres
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Homes cost $329k less ($231,500 vs $560,500)
Rent averages $678/mo less ($1,398 vs $2,076)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (5.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 56°F
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Elk Grove
Smaller class sizes — 20.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Elk Grove by $56,131/yr
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Elk Grove
Median Income
$56,131
$115,864 vs $59,733/yr
Lehigh Acres
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 102.3 vs 108.9 (100 = US avg)
Lehigh Acres
Median Home Value
$329k less
$231,500 vs $560,500
Lehigh Acres
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Elk Grove, CA | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.9⚠ High | 102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $560,500⚠ High | $231,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,076⚠ High | $1,398⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $115,864 ✓ Higher | $59,733 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.1 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 16.7% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 53 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 50 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 59 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (96) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.7:1 | 20.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.0% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 90.7% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Elk Grove Unified | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 56.0°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 92.6°F ✓ Warmer | 90.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.1" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 176,105 ✓ Larger | 124,440 |
| Median Age | 38.7 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.8% ✓ Higher | 67.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.3% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Elk Grove's cost of living index is 108.9 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Lehigh Acres is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Elk Grove leads 12 of 19 categories. Elk Grove wins 12 and Lehigh Acres wins 7. 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 Elk Grove to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($560,500 vs $231,500 median home), income ($115,864 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Elk Grove, CA and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 2,433 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.