Lee County, FL

County

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    2024 Population
    817,666
    US Senator
    Rick Scott
    Republican Party
    US Senator
    Ashley Moody
    Republican Party
    2024 Median Age
    49
    0.609% 1-year decrease
    2024 Poverty Rate
    12%
    2.33% 1-year increase
    2024 Median Household Income
    $76,107
    4.11% 1-year growth
    2024 Median Property Value
    $362,200
    11% 1-year growth
    2024 Employed Population
    357,154
    4.35% 1-year growth

    About

    None of the households in Lee County, FL reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

    90.4% of the residents in Lee County, FL are U.S. citizens.

    The largest universities in Lee County, FL are Florida Gulf Coast University (4,133 degrees awarded in 2024), Florida SouthWestern State College (3,159 degrees), and Fort Myers Technical College (715 degrees).

    In 2024, the median property value in Lee County, FL was $362,200, and the homeownership rate was 74.3%.

    Most people in Lee County, FL drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 29.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Lee County, FL was 2 cars per household.

    About the photo: Cape Harbor, Cape Coral, FL
    Photo by Elin at Nite
    United StatesFloridaCape Coral-Fort Myers, FL

    Population & Diversity

    Lee County, FL is home to a population of 818k people, from which 90.4% are citizens. As of 2024, 18.8% of Lee County, FL residents were born outside of the country (154k people).

    In 2024, there were 4.24 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (507k people) in Lee County, FL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 120k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 62.4k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    Population & Diversity

    Citizenship

    90.4%
    2024 Citizenship
    91.2%
    2023 Citizenship

    As of 2024, 90.4% of Lee County, FL residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Lee County, FL was 91.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

    The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Lee County, FL compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Diversity

    Race and Ethnicity

    The 3 largest ethnic groups in Lee County, FL
    1. White (Non-Hispanic)
      507k ± 1.78k
    2. Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
      120k ± 3.87k
    3. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
      62.4k ± 1.42k
    24.7%
    Hispanic Population
    202k people

    In 2024, there were 4.24 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (507k people) in Lee County, FL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 120k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 62.4k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    24.7% of the people in Lee County, FL are hispanic (202k people).

    The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Lee County, FL as a share of the total population.

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    Global Diversity

    The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Florida.
    Most Common Origin
    1. Cuba
      1,051,839 ± 24,582 people
    2. Haiti
      364,479 ± 14,701 people
    3. Colombia
      327,463 ± 13,946 people

    In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Florida was Cuba, the natal country of 1,051,839 Florida residents, followed by Haiti with 364,479 and Colombia with 327,463.

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    Foreign-Born Population

    18.8%
    2024 Foreign-Born Population
    154k people
    17.9%
    2023 Foreign-Born Population
    142k people

    As of 2024, 18.8% of Lee County, FL residents (154k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Lee County, FL was 17.9%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

    The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Lee County, FL compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Military

    Veterans

    Most Common Service Period
    1. Vietnam
      21,614 ± 1,026
    2. Gulf War (2001-)
      8,153 ± 864
    3. Gulf War (1990s)
      5,071 ± 543

    Lee County, FL has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.65 times greater than any other conflict.

    The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Lee County, FL.

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    Health

    87.1% of the population of Lee County, FL has health coverage, with 33.2% on employee plans, 13.6% on Medicaid, 21.6% on Medicare, 17.1% on non-group plans, and 1.53% on military or VA plans.

    Primary care physicians in Lee County, FL see 1,504 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,504 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1886 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 681 patients per year.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

    Coverage

    Patient to Clinician Ratios

    1,504 to 1
    Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Lee County, FL

    Primary care physicians in Lee County, FL see an average of 1,504 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,504 patients).

    The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Lee County, FL in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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    Health Care Diversity

    In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 18.4% under 18 years, 16.8% between 18 and 34 years, 36.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 28.7% over 64 years.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

    The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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    Uninsured People

    12.9%
    Uninsured
    33.2%
    Employer Coverage
    13.6%
    Medicaid
    21.6%
    Medicare
    17.1%
    Non-Group
    1.53%
    Military or VA

    Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Lee County, FL grew by 3.85% from 12.5% to 12.9%.

    The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Lee County, FL changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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    Health Indicators

    Health Outcomes

    Indicator

    In 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 5.43 in Lee County, FL.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Lee County, FL.

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    Health Behaviors

    Indicator

    In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 31.1% in Lee County, FL.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Lee County, FL.

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    Clinical Care

    Indicator

    In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 17.1% in Lee County, FL.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Lee County, FL.

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    Economy

    The economy of Lee County, FL employs 357k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Lee County, FL were Retail Trade (48,380 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (47,887 people), and Construction (45,046 people), and the highest paying industries were Management of Companies & Enterprises ($90,625), Finance & Insurance ($73,575), and Wholesale Trade ($65,455).

    Employment

    Occupations

    357k
    2024 Value
    ± 5,921
    4.35%
    1 Year growth
    ± 2.26%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Lee County, FL grew at a rate of 4.35%, from 342k employees to 357k employees.

    The most common job groups, by number of people living in Lee County, FL, are Sales & Related Occupations (44,519 people), Management Occupations (39,623 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (38,782 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Lee County, FL.

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    Unemployment Insurance Claims

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Florida.

    This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Florida (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

    The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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    Industries

    Employment by Industries

    357k
    2024 Value
    ± 5,921
    4.35%
    1 Year growth
    ± 2.26%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Lee County, FL grew at a rate of 4.35%, from 342k employees to 357k employees.

    The most common employment sectors for those who live in Lee County, FL, are Retail Trade (48,380 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (47,887 people), and Construction (45,046 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Lee County, FL, though some of these residents may live in Lee County, FL and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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    Median Earnings by Industry

    $48,474
    Median earning men ± $913
    $38,668
    Median earning women ± $1,306

    The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Public Administration ($74,209), Wholesale Trade ($71,350), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($69,224).

    The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($54,480), Wholesale Trade ($51,944), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($51,772).

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    Employment by Industry Sector

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Florida.
    Y-Axis
    4.23%
    Year-over-year growth
    Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

    As of February 2023, there are 9.69M people employed in Florida. This represents a 4.23% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

    Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 12.6%.

    The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Florida.

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    Establishments by Size

    The industries with the most establishments
    1. 2,283
      Construction
    2. 1,949
      Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
    3. 1,803
      Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

    The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

    The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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    Payroll by Industry Sector

    The industries with the highest total annual payroll
    1. $2.99M
      Health Care and Social Assistance
    2. $1.72M
      Construction
    3. $1.53M
      Retail Trade

    The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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    Civics

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Florida went to Donald J. Trump with 56.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (43%), followed by Jill Stein (0.396%).

    Rick Scott and Ashley Moody are the senators currently representing the state of Florida. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    Florida is currently represented by 28 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

    Presidential Elections

    Voting results are not available for Lee County, FL. Showing the available data for Florida.
    2024 Election Results
    1. Donald J. Trump (56.1%)
      Republican Party
    2. Kamala Harris (43%)
      Democratic Party
    3. Jill Stein (0.396%)
      Green Party

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Florida went to Donald J. Trump with 56.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (43%), followed by Jill Stein (0.396%).

    The following chart shows the popular vote results in Florida for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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    Senator Elections

    US Senators from Florida

    Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Florida.
    Rick Scott
    Senator from Florida1
    Assumed office on January 8, 2019
    Inauguration delayed in order to finish his term as Governor of Florida.
    Ashley Moody
    Senator from Florida2
    Assumed office on January 21, 2025
    While elections for full class 3 terms will take place in 2028, Florida will hold a special election in 2026 to elect a senator to complete the remainder of Marco Rubio's term.

    Rick Scott and Ashley Moody are the senators currently representing Florida.

    In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    The following chart shows elected senators in Florida over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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    Education

    In 2024, universities in Lee County, FL awarded 9,804 degrees. The student population of Lee County, FL in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 13,368 male students and 20,181 female students.

    Most students graduating from Universities in Lee County, FL are White (4,905 and 51.2%), Hispanic or Latino (2,819 and 29.4%), Black or African American (963 and 10%), and Unknown (375 and 3.91%).

    The largest universities in Lee County, FL by number of degrees awarded are Florida Gulf Coast University (4,133 and 42.2%), Florida SouthWestern State College (3,159 and 32.2%), and Fort Myers Technical College (715 and 7.29%).

    The most popular majors in Lee County, FL are Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,839 and 18.8%), Registered Nursing (453 and 4.62%), and General Business Administration & Management (444 and 4.53%).

    The median tuition cost for a public four year colleges is $3,314 for in-state students and $16,039 for out-of-state students.

    Admissions & Enrollments

    Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

    University
    Measure

    In 2024 in Lee County, FL, the percentage of applicants admitted was 63.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 20.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 33,549 (39.8% men and 60.2% women).

    The line chart  shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

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    Enrollments by Gender and Races

    Universities

    In 2024 there were 33,549 students enrolled in Lee County, FL, 39.8% men and 60.2% women.

    By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 14,250 records, of which 58.8% were women and 41.2% men.

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    Completions

    Concentrations

    Most Common
    1. General Psychology
      298 degrees awarded
    2. General Interdisciplinary Studies
      267 degrees awarded
    3. General Health Services
      215 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Lee County, FL was General Psychology with 298 degrees awarded.

    This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Lee County, FL according to their major.

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    Universities

    Gender
    Race
    Largest Universities by degrees awarded
    1. Florida Gulf Coast University
      4,133 degrees awarded
    2. Florida SouthWestern State College
      3,159 degrees awarded
    3. Fort Myers Technical College
      715 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Florida Gulf Coast University with 4,133 degrees awarded.

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    Student Diversity

    University

    In 2024, 3,807 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Lee County, FL, which is 0.635 times less than the 5,997 female students who received degrees in the same year.

    In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 4,905 degrees mean that there were 1.74 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 2,819 degrees awarded.

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    Awarded Degrees over Time

    The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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    Tuition

    Average Net Price by Sector

    Universities

    Private for-profit, 2-year ($17,250) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

    Private for-profit, 2-year ($2,765) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

    Private for-profit, 2-year ($1,950) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

    The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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    Housing & Living

    The median property value in Lee County, FL was $362,200 in 2024, which is 1.09 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $326,300 to $362,200, a 11% increase. The homeownership rate in Lee County, FL is 74.3%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

    People in Lee County, FL have an average commute time of 29.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Lee County, FL is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

    In 2025, 17.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Lee County, FL. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 3.64%.

    Housing

    Property

    $362,200
    Median Property Value 2024
    ±$3,248
    $243,654
    Median Property Taxes
    ±$3,908

    The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Lee County, FL the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

    The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Lee County, FL compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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    Rent vs Own

    74.3%
    Homeownership
    2024
    65.3%
    Homeowners with Mortgage
    2024

    In 2024, 74.3% of the housing units in Lee County, FL were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 74%.

    This chart shows the percentage of owner in Lee County, FL compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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    Equity

    Household Income

    Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
    $76,107
    Median Household Income
    ± $1,463
    328k
    Number of Households
    ± 5,292

    In 2024, the median household income of the 328k households in Lee County, FL grew to $76,107 from the previous year's value of $73,099.

    The following chart displays the households in Lee County, FL distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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    Wage Distribution

    The closest comparable wage GINI for Lee County, FL is from Florida.
    0.471
    2024 Wage GINI in Florida
    0.473
    2023 Wage GINI in Florida

    In 2024, the income inequality in Florida was 0.471 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.383% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Florida was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Florida in comparison to the national average.

    This chart shows the number of workers in Florida across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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    Transportation

    Commuter Transportation

    Most Common Commute in 2024
    1. Drove Alone (70.8%)
    2. Worked At Home (15.4%)
    3. Carpooled (9.76%)

    In 2024, 70.8% of workers in Lee County, FL drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (15.4%) and those who carpooled to work (9.76%).

    The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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    Commute Time

    29.4 minutes
    Average Travel Time

    Using averages, employees in Lee County, FL have a longer commute time (29.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.79% of the workforce in Lee County, FL have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

    The chart below shows how the median household income in Lee County, FL compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Car Ownership

    2 cars
    Average Number

    The following chart displays the households in Lee County, FL distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Lee County, FL have 2 cars.

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    Poverty

    Severe Housing Problems

    In 2025, 17.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Lee County, FL. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 3.64%.

    The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

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    Poverty & Diversity

    12% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Lee County, FL (96.5k out of 804k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 75+, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 65 - 74.

    The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Lee County, FL is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

    The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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    Children in Poverty

    In 2025, 17.3% of the children was living in poverty in Lee County, FL. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 8.4%.

    The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

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    Security

    Crimes & Accidents

    Indicator

    In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 348 in Lee County, FL. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 35.3% per 100,000 population.

    The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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