Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lakewood, CO
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 Lakewood leads 12 of 20 categories
Lakewood
Colorado
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,786 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
207⚠ High
Population
156,149 ✓ Larger
Lehigh Acres
Florida
8
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.
Lakewood, CO
Pros
Households earn $23,053 more per year on average
More college-educated — 44.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (4.4%)
Smaller class sizes — 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $494,100
Violent crime (787.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,665/mo
Property crime (5093.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Homes cost $263k less ($231,500 vs $494,100)
Rent averages $267/mo less ($1,398 vs $1,665)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 45°F
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Lakewood
Cons
Median income trails Lakewood by $23,053/yr
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 4.4%)
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Lakewood
Median Income
$23,053
$82,786 vs $59,733/yr
Lakewood
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.5% unemployment
Lehigh Acres
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 102.3 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Lehigh Acres
Median Home Value
$263k less
$231,500 vs $494,100
Lehigh Acres
Summer Heat
4.7°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 85.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lakewood, CO | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $494,100⚠ High | $231,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,665⚠ High | $1,398⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,786 ✓ Higher | $59,733 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.0 min ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 16.9% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 221⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 207⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 243⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.4% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jefferson County School District No. R-1 | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.9°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.8" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 58.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 156,149 ✓ Larger | 124,440 |
| Median Age | 38.1 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 58.0% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.4% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lakewood's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Lehigh Acres is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Lakewood leads 12 of 20 categories. Lakewood wins 12 and Lehigh Acres wins 8. 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 Lakewood to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($494,100 vs $231,500 median home), income ($82,786 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lakewood, CO and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 1,624 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.