Fort Myers today
What this means
Fort Myers home values slipped 3.2% in 12 months, now 16.3% below the Aug 2022 peak.
Permits January to September 2026: 1,089 homes, 23% fewer than 2025.
A specific house can rent above or below these figures, so pull rental comps for the address. Sources and method: how these figures are built.
Quick facts
| Fort Myers | vs Lee County | vs Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 101,581 (2025 estimate) | ||
| Growth since 2020 | 17.5% | +2.4 pts | +8.6 pts |
| Median home value | $384,500 | 6% higher | 7% higher |
| Median gross rent | $1,580 | 8% lower | 5% lower |
| Median household income | $63,732 | 16% lower | 15% lower |
| Owner occupied homes | 49.1% | -25.2 pts | -18.5 pts |
| Residents 65 and older | 23.2% | -5.7 pts | +1.9 pts |
| Average commute (minutes) | 25 | 14% lower | 10% lower |
| Homes built 2010 or later | 27.1% | +11.4 pts | +12.9 pts |
| Median property tax paid | $3,819 | 34% higher | 40% higher |
Census survey figures are 2020 to 2024 averages; methods.
Living in Fort Myers
Lee County seat on the Caloosahatchee River, a winter resort town incorporated in 1885.
Fort Myers is an incorporated city in Lee County, with its own zoning and rental rules.
Known for: Edison and Ford Winter Estates; historic downtown River District; Calusa Nature Center
The railroad arrived in 1904 and the Edison Bridge opened in 1931.
Next to the rest of Lee County, fewer homes are owner occupied (49.1% vs 74.3%); more of the housing is in apartment and condo buildings (42.4% vs 21.2%); fewer homes are seasonal or vacation homes (11.4% vs 18%) and housing is newer (27.1% built since 2010 vs 15.7%).
Closest matches on price and rent: Lake Worth Beach ($401,200, $1,545), Homestead ($380,000, $1,674), South Miami Heights ($407,100, $1,605).
Growth and housing
Fort Myers changed 17.5% in population from 2020 to 2025 (county 15.1%, Florida 8.9%).
| 2025 building permits | Fort Myers |
|---|---|
| Single family | 304 |
| 5 or more units | 1,533 |
| Total units | 1,849 |
| Per 1,000 residents | 18.2 |
27.1% of homes are 2010 or newer, so HOA dues and CDD assessments are common. CDD fees
Half the homes are older than 2001. Apartments and condos make up a large share: 42.4% of homes are in buildings of five or more units. Households average 2.40 people.
3.6% of residents moved in from another state in the past year (county 4.1%).
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 |
23.4% of homes are in buildings of 20 or more units; condo reserves and inspections decide financing. Condo financing
Flood, storms and jobs
The city earned Community Rating System class 6; federal flood policies in its high risk zones cost 20% less. Since 2000, flood insurance has paid $66,823,526 on 909 claims inside Fort Myers. For county flood claims, disaster history and jobs, see the Lee County guide (41.8% of homes there are in high risk zones).
Buying a home in Fort Myers
| 2026 loan limits (county) | Amount |
|---|---|
| FHA, one unit | $541,287 |
| Conforming, one unit | $832,750 |
| Median home value here | $384,500 |
Homes cost 6.0 times median household income here (Lee County 4.8, Florida 4.8).
- Conventional: mortgage insurance drops off as equity builds.
- FHA: $156,787 of room between the median home and the FHA limit.
Investing in Fort Myers
Long term rentals
| Fort Myers | vs Lee County | |
|---|---|---|
| Renter occupied homes | 50.9% | +25.2 pts |
| Rental vacancy | 11.4% | +1.1 pts |
| Rent as share of renter income | 36.9% | +1.8 pts |
Short term rentals
Seasonal and vacation homes: 11.4% of the stock, against 18% countywide.
| Short term rental taxes | Rate |
|---|---|
| County tourist development tax | 5% |
| State sales tax | 6% plus any county surtax |
Confirm zoning, registration and HOA rules for the exact address. State rules
Property types
| Housing stock | Share |
|---|---|
| Single family detached | 36.1% |
| Buildings with 5+ units | 42.4% |
| Manufactured homes | 1.8% |
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.