Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fayetteville, NC
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 Fayetteville leads 11 of 20 categories
Fayetteville
North Carolina
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$53,424
Violent Crime Index
174⚠ High
Population
208,697 ✓ Larger
Lehigh Acres
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,733 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fayetteville, NC
Pros
Homes cost $73k less ($158,500 vs $231,500)
Commutes run 17 min shorter each way
Rent averages $281/mo less ($1,117 vs $1,398)
More college-educated — 28.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Lehigh Acres
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Cons
Violent crime (660.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3094.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Lehigh Acres by $6,309/yr
Higher unemployment (8.4% vs 5.5%)
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.9 pts lower (5.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 54°F
Households earn $6,309 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Fayetteville
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Fayetteville
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
Fayetteville
Median Home Value
$73k less
$158,500 vs $231,500
Lehigh Acres
Median Income
$6,309
$59,733 vs $53,424/yr
Lehigh Acres
Unemployment
2.9 pp lower
5.5% vs 8.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fayetteville, NC | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper | 102.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $158,500 ✓ Lower | $231,500 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,117 ✓ Lower | $1,398⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $53,424 | $59,733 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.4%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.0 min ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 5.4% | 6.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 163⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 174⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 147⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.5% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cumberland County Schools | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.1°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.9°F ✓ Warmer | 90.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.9" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 208,697 ✓ Larger | 124,440 |
| Median Age | 30.5 | 34.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.4% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.6% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.6% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fayetteville's cost of living index is 91.4 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Fayetteville leads 11 of 20 categories. Fayetteville wins 11 and Lehigh Acres wins 9. 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 Fayetteville to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($158,500 vs $231,500 median home), income ($53,424 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fayetteville, NC and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 606 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.