Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Gainesville, FL
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 Gainesville leads 12 of 18 categories
Gainesville
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$43,783
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
142,414 ✓ Larger
Lehigh Acres
Florida
6
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.
Gainesville, FL
Pros
Commutes run 17 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 50.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $247/mo less ($1,151 vs $1,398)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Lehigh Acres
Smaller class sizes — 17.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Lehigh Acres by $15,950/yr
Violent crime (738.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2703.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Households earn $15,950 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 67°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Gainesville
Key Differences at a Glance
Gainesville
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 96.9 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
Gainesville
Median Home Value
$15k less
$216,600 vs $231,500
Lehigh Acres
Median Income
$15,950
$59,733 vs $43,783/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Gainesville, FL | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.9 ✓ Cheaper | 102.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $216,600 ✓ Lower | $231,500 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,151 ✓ Lower | $1,398⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $43,783 | $59,733 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 10.8% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 168⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 194⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (111) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.0% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 93.6% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALACHUA | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.1°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer | 90.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.6" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,414 ✓ Larger | 124,440 |
| Median Age | 26.0 | 34.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 38.5% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 13.6% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.1% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Gainesville's cost of living index is 96.9 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Gainesville is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 18 decided categories above, Gainesville leads 12 of 18 categories. Gainesville wins 12 and Lehigh Acres wins 6. 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 Gainesville to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($216,600 vs $231,500 median home), income ($43,783 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Gainesville, FL and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 216 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.