Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lehigh Acres, FL
VS
Topeka, KS
🏆 Topeka leads 14 of 20 categories
Lehigh Acres
Florida
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,733 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440
Topeka
Kansas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,052
Violent Crime Index
225⚠ High
Population
126,431 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 40°F
Households earn $5,681 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Topeka
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Topeka, KS
Pros
Homes cost $107k less ($124,700 vs $231,500)
Rent averages $472/mo less ($926 vs $1,398)
Commutes run 19 min shorter each way
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Lehigh Acres
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 28.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Violent crime (856.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3642.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Lehigh Acres by $5,681/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Lehigh Acres
Median Income
$5,681
$59,733 vs $54,052/yr
Topeka
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 85.9 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
Topeka
Median Home Value
$107k less
$124,700 vs $231,500
Topeka
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lehigh Acres, FL | Topeka, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.3⚠ High | 85.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $231,500 | $124,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,398⚠ High | $926 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,733 ✓ Higher | $54,052 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 36.3 min⚠ High | 17.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.5% | 8.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 205⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 225⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 173⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (81) | B (102) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 12.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 15.8% | 28.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.6% | 91.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Topeka Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer | 39.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer | 88.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 62.4" | 37.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 17.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 124,440 | 126,431 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 37.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.0% ✓ Higher | 59.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 22.4% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 18.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lehigh Acres's cost of living index is 102.3 vs Topeka's 85.9 (US average = 100).
Topeka is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Topeka leads 14 of 20 categories. Lehigh Acres wins 6 and Topeka wins 14. 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 Topeka or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($231,500 vs $124,700 median home), income ($59,733 vs $54,052), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lehigh Acres, FL and Topeka, KS are about 1,181 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.