Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lehigh Acres, FL
VS
Richmond, VA
🏆 Richmond leads 12 of 20 categories
Lehigh Acres
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,733 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440
Richmond
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,606
Violent Crime Index
89
Population
227,171 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Homes cost $77k less ($231,500 vs $308,300)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 48°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.5%)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Richmond
Richmond, VA
Pros
Commutes run 14 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 44.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $171/mo less ($1,227 vs $1,398)
Smaller class sizes — 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Lehigh Acres
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $308,300
Property crime (3179.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Lehigh Acres
Median Home Value
$77k less
$231,500 vs $308,300
Lehigh Acres
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.1% unemployment
Richmond
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lehigh Acres, FL | Richmond, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.3⚠ High | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $231,500 ✓ Lower | $308,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,398⚠ High | $1,227 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,733 ✓ Higher | $59,606 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 36.3 min⚠ High | 22.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.5% | 14.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 114⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 89 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 151⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (81) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 11.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 15.8% | 44.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.6% | 88.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Richmond City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer | 47.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer | 89.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 62.4" | 47.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 8.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 124,440 | 227,171 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 34.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.0% ✓ Higher | 43.2% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 17.1% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 13.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lehigh Acres's cost of living index is 102.3 vs Richmond's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Richmond is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Richmond leads 12 of 20 categories. Lehigh Acres wins 8 and Richmond 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 Richmond or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($231,500 vs $308,300 median home), income ($59,733 vs $59,606), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lehigh Acres, FL and Richmond, VA are about 793 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.