What it's like to live in Cape Coral
Cape Coral is a large city in Florida with crime rates well below the national average and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Cape Coral deals with rent well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, larger class sizes than the national average, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Low crime rates
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Above-average commute times
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
- Above-average rainfall
How Cape Coral compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Cape Coral
Based on Cape Coral's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,716
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $74,320 a year
- 62% of Cape Coral renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$74,700
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $37,350
- Homes cost 4.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 31% above US
$1,858/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,858 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $373,500. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $373,500 · 62% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.1%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 69% below US
121 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 913/100k · Cape Coral Police Department · 2023 data
Getting around▲ 15% above US
30 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 29.9 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 15% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 91°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 56°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 25% below US
27% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 27%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
27 public schools inside the boundary
There are 27 public schools inside the boundary and 7 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Big Cypress National Preserve (73 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Cape Coral's strongest points are crime rates well below the national average and a population that has grown fast since 2020; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and commute times longer than most cities. A year of median rent ($1,858/mo) equals 29% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and remote workers (15% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Cape Coral
All Florida guides →Moving to North Fort Myers →
7 mi away · pop. 44,993
Rent $1,255/mo · Income $56,261
Compare with Cape Coral →Moving to Cypress Lake →
9 mi away · pop. 13,032
Rent $1,756/mo · Income $62,590
Compare with Cape Coral →Not sure Cape Coral is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.