Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lakeland, FL
VS
Raleigh, NC
🏆 Lakeland leads 12 of 23 categories
Lakeland
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$58,290
Violent Crime Index
15 ✓ Safer
Population
114,404
Raleigh
North Carolina
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,631 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
129⚠ High
Population
465,517 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lakeland, FL
Pros
89% less violent crime than Raleigh
Homes cost $139k less ($207,800 vs $347,000)
Violent crime is well below the national average (56.0 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 74°F vs 52°F
Rent averages $154/mo less ($1,217 vs $1,371)
Cons
Median income trails Raleigh by $20,341/yr
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.5%)
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Raleigh
Raleigh, NC
Pros
Households earn $20,341 more per year on average
More college-educated — 52.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (4.5%)
Smaller class sizes — 15.3:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Lakeland
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $347,000
Violent crime (488.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2819.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher rents — median is $1,371/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Lakeland
Violent Crime
89% lower
56.0 vs 488.8 per 100k
Lakeland
Median Home Value
$139k less
$207,800 vs $347,000
Raleigh
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 100.7 (100 = US avg)
Raleigh
Median Income
$20,341
$78,631 vs $58,290/yr
Raleigh
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.5% vs 5.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lakeland, FL | Raleigh, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.7⚠ High | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $207,800 ✓ Lower | $347,000⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,217 ✓ Lower | $1,371⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,290 | $78,631 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.2 min ✓ Shorter | 23.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.4% | 20.1% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 15 ✓ Safer | 131⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 15 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 17 ✓ Safer | 134⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | A- (117) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.3:1 | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.7% | 52.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.1% | 92.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | POLK | Wake County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 73.7°F ✓ Warmer | 51.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer | 90.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.3" | 49.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 4.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,404 | 465,517 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.6 ✓ Older | 34.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.8% ✓ Higher | 51.1% |
| Under 18 | 18.8% | 20.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 21.7% ✓ More | 11.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lakeland's cost of living index is 100.7 vs Raleigh's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Raleigh is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lakeland leads 12 of 23 categories. Lakeland wins 12 and Raleigh wins 11. 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 Lakeland to Raleigh or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($207,800 vs $347,000 median home), income ($58,290 vs $78,631), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lakeland, FL and Raleigh, NC are about 571 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.