Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fullerton, CA
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 Fullerton leads 10 of 19 categories
Fullerton
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,279 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
120⚠ High
Population
142,280 ✓ Larger
Lehigh Acres
Florida
9
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.
Fullerton, CA
Pros
Households earn $39,546 more per year on average
More college-educated — 44.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 91°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $791,000
Higher rents — median is $1,989/mo
Violent crime (455.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Homes cost $560k less ($231,500 vs $791,000)
Rent averages $591/mo less ($1,398 vs $1,989)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (5.5%)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Fullerton
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 69°F
Smaller class sizes — 20.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fullerton by $39,546/yr
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Fullerton
Median Income
$39,546
$99,279 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
$560k less
$231,500 vs $791,000
Lehigh Acres
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.9% unemployment
Lehigh Acres
Summer Heat
6.2°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 84.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fullerton, 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 | $791,000⚠ High | $231,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,989⚠ High | $1,398⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $99,279 ✓ Higher | $59,733 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.0 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 110⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 120⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 25.3:1 | 20.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.0% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fullerton Elementary | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.8°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.9" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,280 ✓ Larger | 124,440 |
| Median Age | 35.5 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.6% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.8% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fullerton'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, Fullerton leads 10 of 19 categories. Fullerton wins 10 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 Fullerton to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($791,000 vs $231,500 median home), income ($99,279 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fullerton, CA and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 2,211 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.