Bonita Springs today
What this means
The past year cost Bonita Springs owners about 1.8% in value, now 13.1% below the Dec 2023 peak.
Rents are area estimates; check comps for the exact house. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Bonita Springs | vs Lee County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,634 (2025 estimate) | ||
| Growth since 2020 | 7.4% | -7.7 pts | -1.5 pts |
| Median home value | $497,100 | 37% higher | 38% higher |
| Median gross rent | $1,882 | 10% higher | 13% higher |
| Median household income | $95,210 | 25% higher | 28% higher |
| Owner occupied homes | 81.8% | +7.5 pts | +14.2 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 44.2% | +15.3 pts | +22.9 pts |
| Average commute (minutes) | 24 | 18% lower | 14% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 20.8% | +5.1 pts | +6.6 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $3,980 | 39% higher | 46% higher |
Census survey figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; methods.
Living in Bonita Springs
Lee County coastal city between Estero Bay and the Gulf, renamed Bonita Springs by 1912.
Bonita Springs is an incorporated city in Lee County, with its own zoning and rental rules.
Known for: Bonita Beach; Lovers Key State Park; Everglades Wonder Gardens
Grew after roads to Fort Myers (1917) and the Tamiami Trail (1928).
Next to the rest of Lee County, the population is older (44.2% age 65 or older vs 28.9%); more homes are seasonal or vacation homes (29.8% vs 18%); homes are pricier than the county median ($497,100 vs $362,200) and household incomes are higher ($95,210 vs $76,107).
If you like the numbers here, also look at Fort Lauderdale ($486,700, $1,854), Destin ($490,300, $1,936), Westchester ($508,700, $1,819).
Growth and housing
Bonita Springs changed 7.4% in population from 2020 to 2025 (county 15.1%, Florida 8.9%).
| 2025 building permits | Bonita Springs |
|---|---|
| Single family | 208 |
| 5 or more units | 112 |
| Total units | 362 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 6.3 |
20.8% of homes are 2010 or newer, so HOA dues and CDD assessments are common. CDD fees
Median year built: 1998. The housing mix is 45% detached houses and 25.3% larger buildings. Average household size is 2.20.
Each year about 5.9% of residents arrive from other states.
Risks to price in
| Risk item | Detail |
|---|---|
| County average homeowners insurance with wind | $3,576 a year |
| Hurricanes tied to Lee County since 2000 | Charley (2004), Ian (2022) |
| Coastal county | check flood zone and elevation per address |
Before buying in one of the larger buildings (12.5% of housing), check reserves, minutes and insurance. Condo financing
Flood, storms and jobs
Bonita Springs has its own flood program rating: CRS class 5, which takes 25% off federal flood premiums in high risk zones. 2,863 flood claims ($289,761,281) have come from Bonita Springs since 2000. Countywide, 41.8% of homes sit in a FEMA high risk zone; the Lee County guide has the full flood, storm and jobs picture.
Buying a home in Bonita Springs
| 2026 loan limits (county) | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA, one unit | $541,287 |
| Conforming, one unit | $832,750 |
| Median home value here | $497,100 |
Homes cost 5.2 times median household income here (Lee County 4.8, Florida 4.8).
- Conventional: the default for buyers with solid credit and 5% or more down.
- FHA: the Bonita Springs median of $497,100 fits under the $541,287 limit.
- VA: veterans are 9.2% of adults.
Investing in Bonita Springs
Long term rentals
| Bonita Springs | vs Lee County | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 18.2% | -7.5 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 16.4% | +6.1 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 36.2% | +1.1 pts |
Short term rentals
Seasonal and vacation homes: 29.8% of the stock, against 18% countywide.
| Short term rental taxes | Rate |
|---|---|
| County tourist development tax | 5% |
| State sales tax | 6% plus any county surtax |
Rules vary street by street; verify zoning and HOA limits early. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 45% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 25.3% |
| Manufactured homes | 11.7% |
Nearby
Other Florida markets
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5 year estimates. 2020 to 2024.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates, Vintage 2025. July 1, 2025.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual. 2025.
- FFIEC HMDA Data Browser, originated loans. 2025 and 2024.
- LendingTree: 2026 FHA loan limits in Florida by county (HUD figures). 2026.
- Florida Realtors: FHFA sets 2026 conforming loan limits. 2026.
- Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research: 2026 local option tourist tax rates. 2026.
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, July 2026 Insurance Stability Unit report (average homeowners premium with wind, as of March 31, 2026). March 31, 2026.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. week of October 22, 2026.
- Wikipedia: List of counties in Florida. checked October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file. 2024.
- Wikipedia county article and statewide lists (colleges, teams, airports); Florida Defense Support Task Force installation map. checked October 2026.
- Wikipedia article for this place (history, setting, roads). checked October 2026.
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), all homes, middle tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted. September 2026.
- Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index (county annual, metro and state quarterly, all transactions). through Q2 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, January to September 2026 and 2025. September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Residential Penetration Rates. as of August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims (2000 to 2026). as of September 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book (Community Rating System class). August 2026.
- FEMA OpenFEMA, Disaster Declarations Summaries (2000 to 2026). October 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023. 2023.
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020 to 2024, median gross rent by bedrooms (B25031). 2020 to 2024.
- Hurricane landfalls: Wikipedia, List of Florida hurricanes (2000 to present). checked October 2026.
Estimates from public data; they change over time. General information, not investment, tax or legal advice, and not a loan offer. Methods and assumptions.