Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Irvine, CA
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 Lehigh Acres leads 10 of 18 categories
Irvine
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$122,948 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
22
Population
304,527 ✓ Larger
Lehigh Acres
Florida
10
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.
Irvine, CA
Pros
Households earn $63,215 more per year on average
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (84.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 91°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,025,700
Higher rents — median is $2,749/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Lehigh Acres
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Homes cost $794k less ($231,500 vs $1,025,700)
Rent averages $1351/mo less ($1,398 vs $2,749)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Irvine
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 68°F
Smaller class sizes — 20.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Irvine by $63,215/yr
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Irvine
Median Income
$63,215
$122,948 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
$794k less
$231,500 vs $1,025,700
Lehigh Acres
Summer Heat
5.5°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 85.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Irvine, 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 | $1,025,700⚠ High | $231,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,749⚠ High | $1,398⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $122,948 ✓ Higher | $59,733 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.3 min ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 23.1% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 40 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 22 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 66 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 20.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 96.3% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Irvine Unified | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.8°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.1°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.1" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 304,527 ✓ Larger | 124,440 |
| Median Age | 33.8 | 34.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.9% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.4% | 13.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine'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 18 decided categories above, Lehigh Acres leads 10 of 18 categories. Irvine wins 8 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 Irvine to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,025,700 vs $231,500 median home), income ($122,948 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Irvine, CA and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 2,202 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.