Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lehigh Acres, FL
VS
Surprise, AZ
🏆 Surprise 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
Surprise
Arizona
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$87,756 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
29
Population
145,591 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Homes cost $121k less ($231,500 vs $352,600)
Rent averages $424/mo less ($1,398 vs $1,822)
Cooler summers — July highs near 91°F vs 105°F
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 65°F
Cons
Median income trails Surprise by $28,023/yr
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 4.6%)
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Surprise, AZ
Pros
Households earn $28,023 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (109.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (4.6%)
More college-educated — 31.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $352,600
Higher rents — median is $1,822/mo
Hot summers — July highs average 105°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Lehigh Acres
Median Home Value
$121k less
$231,500 vs $352,600
Surprise
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 101.2 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
Surprise
Median Income
$28,023
$87,756 vs $59,733/yr
Surprise
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.6% vs 5.5% unemployment
Surprise
Summer Heat
14.0°F warmer
July avg high 104.6°F vs 90.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lehigh Acres, FL | Surprise, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.3⚠ High | 101.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $231,500 ✓ Lower | $352,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,398⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,822⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,733 | $87,756 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 36.3 min⚠ High | 30.5 min⚠ High ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.5% | 14.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 34 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 29 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 42 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (81) | B- (95) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 20.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 15.8% | 31.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.6% | 93.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Dysart Unified District (4243) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer | 65.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 62.4" | 9.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 124,440 | 145,591 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 41.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.0% | 78.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 24.5% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lehigh Acres's cost of living index is 102.3 vs Surprise's 101.2 (US average = 100).
Surprise is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Surprise leads 15 of 19 categories. Lehigh Acres wins 4 and Surprise 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 Surprise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($231,500 vs $352,600 median home), income ($59,733 vs $87,756), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lehigh Acres, FL and Surprise, AZ are about 1,897 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.