The Town FilesFort Myers, Florida
City in Lee County · population 86,395 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $384,500
- Household income
- $63,732
- Jan low / Jul high
- 54° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 72
- Median age
- 41.3
Fort Myers is a city of 86,395 people in Lee County, Florida. The median home is worth $384,500, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better transit than 76% of Florida towns, better for young professionals than 74% of Florida towns, more seaside character than 70% of Florida towns.
How Fort Myers ranks
Percentile among Florida towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Florida towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fort Myers is worth $384,500, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 6.0 times the median household income of $63,732, which is more affordable than 17% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,580 a month. 49.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fort Myers | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $384,500 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,580 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $63,732 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.0× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 49.1% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 2001 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 11.4% | — |
Who lives in Fort Myers
| People | Fort Myers | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.3 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.2% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 19.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.0% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.3% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 21.8% | — |
| Work from home | 13.8% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.9% | 92.4% |
Weather in Fort Myers
July highs average 91.6°F and January lows 54.3°F. About 57.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 120 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
72 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Myers since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on October 9, 2024 about 3.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 2, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 31, 1965.
Severe weather in Lee County since 1996
Lee County has been included in 45 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| September 28, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4828: Hurricane Helene |
| September 24, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3615: Tropical Storm Helene |
| August 10, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4806: Hurricane Debby |
Jobs and pay in Lee County
Lee County had 299,283 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,578 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Fort Myers itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Fort Myers
50 public schools with 35,871 students, about 22.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| GATEWAY CHARTER SCHOOL (charter) | PK-12 | 2,977 | 85.1 |
| GATEWAY HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 2,312 | 28.9 |
| RIVERDALE HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,870 | 29.2 |
| FORT MYERS HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,850 | 25.0 |
| DUNBAR HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,762 | 22.0 |
| SOUTH FORT MYERS HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,738 | 21.2 |
| CYPRESS LAKE HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,507 | 23.2 |
| OAK HAMMOCK MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 1,422 | 20.6 |
| HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 1,131 | 18.9 |
| TREELINE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 1,127 | 20.1 |
| LEXINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 1,100 | 22.4 |
| THREE OAKS MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 1,100 | 22.9 |
Towns near Fort Myers
- Tice, FL4.1 mi · 4,853 people · home $174,800
- Pine Manor, FL4.2 mi · 4,122 people · home $273,800
- Whiskey Creek, FL4.8 mi · 4,842 people · home $379,600
- Lochmoor Waterway Estates, FL5.0 mi · 5,828 people · home $386,200
- Villas, FL5.3 mi · 12,687 people · home $248,700
- Buckingham, FL5.5 mi · 4,443 people · home $431,100
- Gateway, FL5.8 mi · 10,376 people · home $453,900
- McGregor, FL6.3 mi · 7,976 people · home $467,600
Fort Myers questions
Is Fort Myers, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fort Myers scores better for retirees than 28% of Florida towns and quieter than 27%. 23.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.3).
How much does a house cost in Fort Myers?
The median owner-occupied home in Fort Myers is valued at $384,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,732, so homes cost about 6.0 times income. Median rent is $1,580 a month.
What is the weather like in Fort Myers?
July highs average 91.6°F and January lows 54.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Fort Myers get tornadoes?
72 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Myers since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on October 9, 2024. The typical Florida town has had 35.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)