Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Germantown, MD
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Germantown
Maryland
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,268 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
90,210
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.
Germantown, MD
Pros
Households earn $49,535 more per year on average
More college-educated — 48.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 91°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $393,700
Higher rents — median is $1,908/mo
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Lehigh Acres
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Homes cost $162k less ($231,500 vs $393,700)
Rent averages $510/mo less ($1,398 vs $1,908)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 39°F
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Germantown
Cons
Median income trails Germantown by $49,535/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Germantown
Median Income
$49,535
$109,268 vs $59,733/yr
Lehigh Acres
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 102.3 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Lehigh Acres
Median Home Value
$162k less
$231,500 vs $393,700
Lehigh Acres
Summer Heat
6.3°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 84.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Germantown, MD | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $393,700⚠ High | $231,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,908⚠ High | $1,398⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $109,268 ✓ Higher | $59,733 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 33.6 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 | — | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (116) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.9% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 89.5% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Montgomery County Public Schools | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.1°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.3°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.7" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 32.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 90,210 | 124,440 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.9 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 65.9% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.3% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Germantown's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Lehigh Acres is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Germantown 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 Germantown to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($393,700 vs $231,500 median home), income ($109,268 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Germantown, MD and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 904 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.