Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lehigh Acres, FL
VS
Montgomery, AL
🏆 Montgomery leads 13 of 20 categories
Lehigh Acres
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,733 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440
Montgomery
Alabama
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,166
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High
Population
199,819 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (5.5%)
Households earn $5,567 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 60°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Montgomery
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Montgomery, AL
Pros
Homes cost $90k less ($141,900 vs $231,500)
Rent averages $372/mo less ($1,026 vs $1,398)
Commutes run 16 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 33.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Lehigh Acres
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.8)
Cons
Violent crime (594.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.5%)
Median income trails Lehigh Acres by $5,567/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Lehigh Acres
Median Income
$5,567
$59,733 vs $54,166/yr
Lehigh Acres
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
5.5% vs 7.2% unemployment
Montgomery
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 90.8 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
Montgomery
Median Home Value
$90k less
$141,900 vs $231,500
Montgomery
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 90.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lehigh Acres, FL | Montgomery, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.3⚠ High | 90.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $231,500 | $141,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,398⚠ High | $1,026 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,733 ✓ Higher | $54,166 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 36.3 min⚠ High | 19.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.5% ✓ Higher | 6.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 136⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 156⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 106⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (81) | B- (93) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 17.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 15.8% | 33.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.6% | 87.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Montgomery County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer | 60.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 62.4" | 54.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 124,440 | 199,819 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 36.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.0% ✓ Higher | 53.5% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 23.7% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 15.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lehigh Acres's cost of living index is 102.3 vs Montgomery's 90.8 (US average = 100).
Montgomery is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Montgomery leads 13 of 20 categories. Lehigh Acres wins 7 and Montgomery wins 13. 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 Lehigh Acres to Montgomery or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($231,500 vs $141,900 median home), income ($59,733 vs $54,166), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lehigh Acres, FL and Montgomery, AL are about 484 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.