Lee County, Florida
Lee County
Lee County is located in the southwest Florida region, along with Collier and Charlotte counties. The communities in Lee County include Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, Lehigh Acres, North Fort Myers, San Carlos Park, Sanibel/Captiva, and South Fort Myers. Incorporated communities are Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, Bonita Springs, and Sanibel. The population of Lee County is in excess of 600,000.
Top industries currently providing employment are trade, transportation, and utilities; leisure and hospitality; education and health services; and professional and business services. Major private sector employers in Lee County are Publix Supermarkets, Wal-Mart, Chico's FAS Inc., Bonita Bay Group, and WCI Group. Top public sector employers are Lee County School District, Lee County Administration, Lee County Sheriff's Office, and the City of Cape Coral.
Historically, Lee County was best known for its agricultural industry and still heavily produces crops such as sweet corn, cucumbers, peppers and potatoes. Seafood is also produced in large quantities in Lee County. Annually, over five million pounds of fish and two million pounds of shellfish are harvested in Lee County. Today, however, the most dominant industries are tourism, construction, and other service related industries.
The most populous city in southwest Florida is Cape Coral, home to over 150,000. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the city grew by 10% from 2010-2013. The city lies on a peninsula surrounded by Charlotte Harbor, with the Caloosahatchee River on the city?s southern border. There are over 400 miles of inland navigable waterways within city limits, the most of any city in the world.
Located across the Caloosahatchee, the county seat of Fort Myers has a population over 60,000 people. The economic heart of Lee County, the city?s strength is in the services, including the healthcare and tourism industries. Just south of the city is Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida's newest public university. Additionally, Florida SouthWestern State College, formerly Edison State College, is located within city limits.
Lee County Florida Cities
There are 14 cities in Lee County Florida. These are listed below. Click on a link for details.
Alva, Boca Grande, Bokeelia, Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Captiva, Estero, Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, Lehigh Acres, North Fort Myers, Pineland, Saint James City, Sanibel,
Lee County has a population of approximately 645,293 people. The population increased 4.3% from 2010 to 2012. This compared to a 2.7% increase for the State of Florida and a 1.7% increase for the country as a whole. Lee County is 784.51 square miles and had a population density of 788.7 Persons per square mile in 2010. This compared to 350.6 for Florida and 87.4 for the country.
There are 372,117 housing units in Lee County (a housing unit is defined by the US Census Bureau as a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room that is occupied as separate living quarters.) Lee County has a 73.8% homeownership rate compared to Florida's rate of 69.0%. Lee County's medium household income in 2011 was $49,444, which is higher than the medium income for Florida as a whole: $47,827.
| Region | Population 2012 | Economic Activity 2007 (Millions) | Population Growth 2010 to 2012 | Median Household Income 2011 | Housing Units | Median Price 2007 to 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 313,914,040 | $14,025,202 | 1.7% | $52,762 | 132,312,404 | $186,200 |
| Florida | 19,317,568 | $630,738 | 2.7% | $47,827 | 9,026,965 | $188,600 |
| Lee County | 645,293 | $13,839 | 4.3% | $49,444 | 372,117 | $181,000 |
13.5% of the population in Lee County lives below the poverty line, compared to 14.7% in Florida and 14.3% nationwide. Additional Information:
Lee County Economic Activity
The U.S. Bureau of the Census, Economic , 2007 calculated the total value manufacturing, merchant wholesaler, retail sales and food service sales in Lee County. The Census measured activity of large and medium-sized firms during calendar year 2007. It does not include every aspect of the economy but can be used as a measure of economic activity.
At $13,839 million, Lee County's economic activity represents 2.19% of the Florida economy.
| Activity | Value (Millions) | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturers shipments | $1,182 | 8.5% |
| Merchant wholesaler sales | $2,272 | 16.4% |
| Retail sales | $9,193 | 66.4% |
| Accommodation and food services sales | $1,192 | 8.6% |
| Total | $13,839 | 100% |
Lee County Regional Comparisons
Lee County is located in Southwest Florida. This region is responsible for 3.9% of Florida's economic activity. Lee County represents 56.2% of the region's economy.
| Region | Population 2012 | Economic Activity 2007 (Millions) | Population Growth 2010 to 2012 | Median Household Income 2011 | Housing Units | Median Price 2007 to 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte County | 162,449 | $2,288 | 1.5% | $45,112 | 100,612 | $166,700 |
| Lee County | 645,293 | $13,839 | 4.3% | $49,444 | 372,117 | $181,000 |
| Collier County | 332,427 | $8,479 | 3.4% | $56,876 | 198,423 | $317,200 |
| Total | 1,140,169 | $24,606 | 3.1% | $50,477 | 671,152 | $221,633 |
Lee Real Estate
There are 269,967 properties in Lee County. The following table shows a summary of them based on 2013 sales data.
| Usage Type | Property Count | % | Sales Count | Median Price | Median Price/Ft | Sales From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Property | 0 | 0.00 | 232 | $449,168 | $85 | January 1st, 2013 | September 1st, 2013 |
| Government Property | 4,360 | 1.62 | 32 | $112,500 | $47 | January 1st, 2013 | September 1st, 2013 |
| Miscellaneous Property | 288 | 0.11 | 1 | $4,500 | $2 | January 1st, 2013 | January 1st, 2013 |
| Residential Property | 0 | 0.00 | 14,845 | $135,000 | $52 | January 1st, 2013 | September 1st, 2013 |
Commercial Real Estate in Lee County, Florida
0( .00%) of the properties in Lee County are classified as Commercial. 232 of them sold between January 1st, 2013 and September 1st, 2013. The total value of these sales was $235,512,848. The median sales price was $449,168. In 2013 the median sales price for A Class Commercial Property in Lee County was $269 per sq ft, B Class properties sold for $85/ft and C Class $26/ft.
Government Real Estate in Lee County, Florida
4,360( 1.62%) of the properties in Lee County are classified as Government. 32 of them sold between January 1st, 2013 and September 1st, 2013. The total value of these sales was $8,406,015. The median sales price was $112,500. In 2013 the median sales price for A Class Government Property in Lee County was $63 per sq ft, B Class properties sold for $47/ft and C Class $13/ft.
Miscellaneous Real Estate in Lee County, Florida
288( .11%) of the properties in Lee County are classified as Miscellaneous. 1 of them sold between January 1st, 2013 and January 1st, 2013. The total value of these sales was $4,500. The median sales price was $4,500. In 2013 the median sales price for Miscellaneous Property in Lee County was $2 per sq ft.
Residential Real Estate in Lee County, Florida
0( .00%) of the properties in Lee County are classified as Residential. 14,845 of them sold between January 1st, 2013 and September 1st, 2013. The total value of these sales was $3,087,453,505. The median sales price was $135,000. In 2013 the median sales price for A Class Residential Property in Lee County was $110 per sq ft, B Class properties sold for $52/ft and C Class $26/ft.
Additional Details:
Lee Market Data
| Property Usage | Property Count | Total Sq Ft |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural | 2,704 | 3,980,757 |
| Government Property | 4,450 | 36,265,459 |
| Health Care | 19 | 944,474 |
| Hotel & Motel | 762 | 7,909,568 |
| Industrial | 2,031 | 34,295,910 |
| Land | 180,809 | 9,438,579 |
| Miscellaneous Property | 235 | 2,205,386 |
| Mobile/Manufactured | 15,818 | 24,753,393 |
| Multifamily | 9,556 | 47,183,766 |
| Office | 2,112 | 19,714,403 |
| Residential | 234,420 | 688,670,626 |
| Retail | 3,070 | 49,021,802 |
| Senior Housing | 75 | 8,550,548 |
| Special Purpose | 1,036 | 11,905,323 |
| Sports & Entertaining | 202 | 3,849,364 |