Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lehigh Acres, FL
VS
Wilmington, NC
🏆 Wilmington 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
Wilmington
North Carolina
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,908
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
116,933
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Homes cost $87k less ($231,500 vs $318,600)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 57°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Wilmington
Wilmington, NC
Pros
Commutes run 18 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 43.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $185/mo less ($1,213 vs $1,398)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.9%)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Lehigh Acres
Smaller class sizes — 15.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $318,600
Violent crime (482.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3514.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Lehigh Acres
Median Income
$825
$59,733 vs $58,908/yr
Lehigh Acres
Median Home Value
$87k less
$231,500 vs $318,600
Wilmington
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 97.1 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
Wilmington
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.9% vs 5.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lehigh Acres, FL | Wilmington, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.3⚠ High | 97.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $231,500 ✓ Lower | $318,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,398⚠ High | $1,213 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,733 ✓ Higher | $58,908 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 4.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 36.3 min⚠ High | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.5% | 14.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 143⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 127⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (81) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 15.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 15.8% | 43.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.6% | 93.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | New Hanover County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer | 57.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer | 90.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 62.4" | 60.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 124,440 ✓ Larger | 116,933 |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.0% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 17.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lehigh Acres's cost of living index is 102.3 vs Wilmington's 97.1 (US average = 100).
Wilmington is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Wilmington leads 12 of 20 categories. Lehigh Acres wins 8 and Wilmington 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 Wilmington or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($231,500 vs $318,600 median home), income ($59,733 vs $58,908), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lehigh Acres, FL and Wilmington, NC are about 570 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.