Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lehigh Acres, FL
VS
Oceanside, CA
🏆 Lehigh Acres leads 10 of 19 categories
Lehigh Acres
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,733
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440
Oceanside
California
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$86,701 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
121⚠ High
Population
173,722 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Homes cost $413k less ($231,500 vs $644,600)
Rent averages $680/mo less ($1,398 vs $2,078)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Oceanside
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 67°F
Smaller class sizes — 20.5:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Oceanside by $26,968/yr
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Oceanside, CA
Pros
Households earn $26,968 more per year on average
More college-educated — 33.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 91°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $644,600
Higher rents — median is $2,078/mo
Violent crime (458.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Lehigh Acres
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 102.3 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Lehigh Acres
Median Home Value
$413k less
$231,500 vs $644,600
Lehigh Acres
Summer Heat
14.1°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 76.5°F
Oceanside
Median Income
$26,968
$86,701 vs $59,733/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lehigh Acres, FL | Oceanside, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $231,500 ✓ Lower | $644,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,398⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,078⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,733 | $86,701 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 36.3 min⚠ High | 29.8 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.5% | 13.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 104⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 121⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 80 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (81) ✓ Better | C (76) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 27.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 15.8% | 33.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.6% | 86.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Scholarship Prep - Oceanside District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer | 66.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer | 76.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 62.4" | 11.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 124,440 | 173,722 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 37.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.0% ✓ Higher | 57.9% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 21.3% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 15.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lehigh Acres's cost of living index is 102.3 vs Oceanside's 111.5 (US average = 100).
Lehigh Acres is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Lehigh Acres leads 10 of 19 categories. Lehigh Acres wins 10 and Oceanside wins 9. 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 Oceanside or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($231,500 vs $644,600 median home), income ($59,733 vs $86,701), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lehigh Acres, FL and Oceanside, CA are about 2,173 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.