Cape Coral, FL Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Cape Coral, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Cape Coral →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
With a population near 198,912, Cape Coral, Florida sits roughly in line with the multi-city income median: households earn a typical $72,474 per year (+1% vs. that benchmark).
Home values in Cape Coral run a median $302,400, roughly in line with the benchmark across cities in our dataset (-7%). Renters see a median monthly cost of $1,630. Mortgage rates and property taxes are worth checking before you commit either way.
Cape Coral's home-price-to-income ratio of about 4.2× is fairly typical — housing costs track reasonably in line with local pay. Year-over-year, home prices near Cape Coral have eased by about 6.68%, a mild cooldown rather than a sharp drop. FEMA classifies Cape Coral's hazard risk as Relatively High. That elevated rating is a major driver of home insurance premiums in the area.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,630/mo in Cape Coral would take 27.0% of your income.
$182/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($302,400) would take 26.7% of your income toward principal & interest.
$77/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Cape Coral
Median home value is $302,400 and median gross rent is $1,630/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Lee fell 6.68% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,961/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Cape Coral's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Cape Coral reported a violent crime rate of 121.1 per 100,000 residents in 2023, per FBI data.
Moving to Cape Coral
Planning a move to Cape Coral? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Cape Coral, FL?
- For a quick read on Cape Coral: homes carry a median value of $302,400, rent runs a median $1,630 monthly, and household income is a median $72,474, all from the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cape Coral?
- Using the standard 30%-of-income rule of thumb, affording Cape Coral's median rent of $1,630/month takes an income of roughly $65,200 a year. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Cape Coral.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Cape Coral?
- Cape Coral's median rent of $1,630/month translates to about $65,200 a year needed to rent comfortably, versus roughly $69,188 a year for principal and interest on the $302,400 median home (20% down, 30-year fixed, today's rates). How long you'll stay is usually the deciding factor.
- Is Cape Coral safe?
- Per FBI Crime Data Explorer figures, Cape Coral's violent crime rate was 121.1 per 100,000 residents in 2023.
See the full salary breakdown for Cape Coral →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Cape Coral's.