Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lehigh Acres, FL
VS
Roanoke, VA
🏆 Roanoke 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 ✓ Larger
Roanoke
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,523
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
99,213
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 1.1 pts lower (5.5%)
Households earn $8,210 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 47°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Roanoke
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Roanoke, VA
Pros
Rent averages $481/mo less ($917 vs $1,398)
Homes cost $70k less ($162,000 vs $231,500)
Commutes run 15 min shorter each way
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Lehigh Acres
More college-educated — 28.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.9)
Cons
Violent crime (620.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Lehigh Acres by $8,210/yr
Property crime (4055.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 5.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Lehigh Acres
Median Income
$8,210
$59,733 vs $51,523/yr
Lehigh Acres
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.6% unemployment
Roanoke
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 90.9 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
Roanoke
Median Home Value
$70k less
$162,000 vs $231,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lehigh Acres, FL | Roanoke, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.3⚠ High | 90.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $231,500 | $162,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,398⚠ High | $917 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,733 ✓ Higher | $51,523 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 36.3 min⚠ High | 20.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.5% | 9.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 175⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 193⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (81) | B (100) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 12.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 15.8% | 28.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.6% | 89.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Roanoke City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer | 47.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer | 88.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 62.4" | 42.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 14.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 124,440 ✓ Larger | 99,213 |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 38.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.0% ✓ Higher | 52.1% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 22.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 17.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lehigh Acres's cost of living index is 102.3 vs Roanoke's 90.9 (US average = 100).
Roanoke is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Roanoke leads 12 of 20 categories. Lehigh Acres wins 8 and Roanoke 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 Roanoke or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($231,500 vs $162,000 median home), income ($59,733 vs $51,523), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lehigh Acres, FL and Roanoke, VA are about 743 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.