Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lehigh Acres, FL
VS
Palm Bay, FL
🏆 Palm Bay leads 15 of 19 categories
Lehigh Acres
Florida
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,733
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440 ✓ Larger
Palm Bay
Florida
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,538 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
91
Population
121,513
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Median income trails Palm Bay by $2,805/yr
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 22.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Households earn $2,805 more per year on average
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Palm Bay
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 100.8 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
Palm Bay
Median Income
$2,805
$62,538 vs $59,733/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lehigh Acres, FL | Palm Bay, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.3⚠ High | 100.8⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $231,500 | $226,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,398⚠ High | $1,345⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,733 | $62,538 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 36.3 min⚠ High | 27.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.5% | 7.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 74 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 91 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 48 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (81) | B- (92) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 15.8% | 22.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.6% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | BREVARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer | 72.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 62.4" | 60.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 124,440 ✓ Larger | 121,513 |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 41.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.0% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 21.9% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lehigh Acres's cost of living index is 102.3 vs Palm Bay's 100.8 (US average = 100).
Palm Bay is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Palm Bay leads 15 of 19 categories. Lehigh Acres wins 4 and Palm Bay wins 15. 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 Palm Bay or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($231,500 vs $226,200 median home), income ($59,733 vs $62,538), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lehigh Acres, FL and Palm Bay, FL are about 111 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.