Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lehigh Acres, FL
VS
Winston-Salem, NC
🏆 Winston-Salem leads 13 of 20 categories
Lehigh Acres
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,733 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440
Winston-Salem
North Carolina
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,416
Violent Crime Index
213⚠ High
Population
249,571 ✓ Larger
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 0.7 pts lower (5.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 49°F
Households earn $5,317 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Winston-Salem
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Winston-Salem, NC
Pros
Rent averages $442/mo less ($956 vs $1,398)
Commutes run 15 min shorter each way
Homes cost $44k less ($187,400 vs $231,500)
More college-educated — 35.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Lehigh Acres
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Cons
Violent crime (809.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2921.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.2% vs 5.5%)
Median income trails Lehigh Acres by $5,317/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Lehigh Acres
Median Income
$5,317
$59,733 vs $54,416/yr
Lehigh Acres
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.2% unemployment
Winston-Salem
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
Winston-Salem
Median Home Value
$44k less
$187,400 vs $231,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lehigh Acres, FL | Winston-Salem, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.3⚠ High | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $231,500 | $187,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,398⚠ High | $956 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,733 ✓ Higher | $54,416 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 36.3 min⚠ High | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.5% | 10.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 183⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 213⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C (81) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 15.8% | 35.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.6% | 87.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | Winston Salem / Forsyth County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer | 48.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer | 88.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 62.4" | 43.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 6.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 124,440 | 249,571 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 35.7 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.0% ✓ Higher | 53.9% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 23.4% |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 14.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lehigh Acres's cost of living index is 102.3 vs Winston-Salem's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Winston-Salem is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Winston-Salem leads 13 of 20 categories. Lehigh Acres wins 7 and Winston-Salem wins 13. 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 Winston-Salem or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($231,500 vs $187,400 median home), income ($59,733 vs $54,416), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lehigh Acres, FL and Winston-Salem, NC are about 661 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.