Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lehigh Acres, FL
VS
Philadelphia, PA
🏆 Philadelphia leads 12 of 20 categories
Lehigh Acres
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,733 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$57,537
Violent Crime Index
239⚠ High
Population
1,593,208 ✓ 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 3.1 pts lower (5.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 42°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Philadelphia, PA
Pros
More college-educated — 33.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $148/mo less ($1,250 vs $1,398)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Homes cost $16k less ($215,500 vs $231,500)
Smaller class sizes — 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (908.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4548.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.6% vs 5.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Lehigh Acres
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 102.3 vs 103.5 (100 = US avg)
Lehigh Acres
Median Income
$2,196
$59,733 vs $57,537/yr
Lehigh Acres
Unemployment
3.1 pp lower
5.5% vs 8.6% unemployment
Philadelphia
Median Home Value
$16k less
$215,500 vs $231,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lehigh Acres, FL | Philadelphia, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 103.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $231,500 | $215,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,398⚠ High | $1,250 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,733 ✓ Higher | $57,537 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 36.3 min⚠ High | 32.8 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.5% | 13.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 230⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 239⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 217⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (81) | B- (92) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 15.8% | 33.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.6% | 86.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Philadelphia City SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer | 41.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer | 89.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 62.4" | 50.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 16.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 124,440 | 1,593,208 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 34.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.0% ✓ Higher | 52.2% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 21.5% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 14.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lehigh Acres's cost of living index is 102.3 vs Philadelphia's 103.5 (US average = 100).
Lehigh Acres is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Philadelphia leads 12 of 20 categories. Lehigh Acres wins 8 and Philadelphia wins 12. 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 Philadelphia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($231,500 vs $215,500 median home), income ($59,733 vs $57,537), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lehigh Acres, FL and Philadelphia, PA are about 998 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.