Lee County, FL

County

Add Comparison

Population

754,610

2.08% 1-year growth

US Senator

Marco Rubio

Republican Party

US Senator

Rick Scott

Republican Party

Median Age

48.8

Poverty Rate

14%

Median Household Income

$56,129

4.08% 1-year growth

Median Property Value

$235,000

4.31% 1-year growth

Number of Employees

322,460

1.78% 1-year growth

About

In 2018, Lee County, FL had a population of 755k people with a median age of 48.8 and a median household income of $56,129. Between 2017 and 2018 the population of Lee County, FL grew from 739,224 to 754,610, a 2.08% increase and its median household income grew from $53,928 to $56,129, a 4.08% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Lee County, FL are White (Non-Hispanic) (66.3%), White (Hispanic) (17.5%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (8.55%), Other (Hispanic) (3.45%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.6%). NaNk% of the people in Lee County, FL speak a non-English language, and 91.3% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Lee County, FL are Florida SouthWestern State College (3,217 degrees awarded in 2017), Florida Gulf Coast University (3,173 degrees), and Fort Myers Technical College (726 degrees).

The median property value in Lee County, FL is $235,000, and the homeownership rate is 72.8%. Most people in Lee County, FL commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 26.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Lee County, FL is 2 cars per household.

Lee County, FL borders Charlotte County, FL, Collier County, FL, Glades County, FL, and Hendry County, FL.

About the photo: Cape Harbor, Cape Coral, FL

Photo by Elin at Nite

United States Florida Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Florida. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Florida, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

View Full Dashboard

Impact on Employment

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.

View Full Dashboard

Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Florida across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

View Full Dashboard

Civics

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Lee County, FL went to Donald J. Trump with 58.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Hillary Rodham Clinton (38.3%), followed by Other (3.05%). The most partisan county was Holmes County, FL with 87.9% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

Marco Rubio and Rick Scott 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 27 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Showing data up to the 2016 election. Updated election results are currently being processed, and will be released in the coming months.

2016 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (58.7%)
Republican Party
Hillary Rodham Clinton (38.3%)
Democratic Party
Other (3.05%)
Other Party

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Florida went to Donald J. Trump with 58.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Hillary Rodham Clinton (38.3%), followed by Other (3.05%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Florida for each registered party from 1976 to 2016.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Presidential voting results are only available at the county level. Showing data for the counties inside of Florida.

Showing data up to the 2016 election. Updated election results are currently being processed, and will be released in the coming months.

Donald J. Trump

Popular Vote for Lee County, FL

58.7% for the Republican Party

Most Partisan Counties in Florida

Holmes County, FL
87.9% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Lafayette County, FL
82.8% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Baker County, FL
81.5% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)

In the 2016 presidential election, the most partisan county in Florida was Holmes County, FL with 87.9% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

The following map shows the counties in Florida colored by their party leaning.

US Senators from Florida

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Florida.

Marco Rubio

Senator from Florida

Assumed office on January 3, 2011

Rick Scott

Senator from Florida

Assumed office on January 8, 2019
Inauguration delayed in order to finish his term as Governor of Florida.

Marco Rubio and Rick Scott 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.

US Representatives from Florida

Florida is currently represented by 27 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Florida have changed over time starting in 2008.

Diversity

Lee County, FL is home to a population of 755k people, from which 91.3% are citizens. As of 2018, 15.8% of Lee County, FL residents were born outside of the country (120k people).

In 2018, there were 3.79 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (500k people) in Lee County, FL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 132k White (Hispanic) and 64.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Lee County, FL

White (Non-Hispanic)
500k ± 1.97k
White (Hispanic)
132k ± 6.39k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
64.6k ± 1.68k

21.9%

Hispanic Population

165k people

21.9% of the people in Lee County, FL are hispanic (165k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Lee County, FL as a share of the total population.

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

15.8%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

120k people

15.3%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

113k people

As of 2018, 15.8% of Lee County, FL residents (120k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.7%. In 2017, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Lee County, FL was 15.3%, 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.

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.6

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1.8

In 2018, the median age of all people in Lee County, FL was 48.8. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 50, were generally older than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 47. But people in Lee County, FL are getting getting older. In 2017, the average age of all Lee County, FL residents was 49.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Florida.

Most Common Origin

Cuba
1,028,508 ± 24,290 people
Haiti
339,246 ± 14,186 people
Colombia
285,400 ± 13,028 people

In 2018, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Florida was Cuba, the natal country of 1,028,508 Florida residents, followed by Haiti with 339,246 and Colombia with 285,400.

Citizenship

91.3%

2018 Citizenship

90.7%

2017 Citizenship

As of 2018, 91.3% of Lee County, FL residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2017, the percentage of US citizens in Lee County, FL was 90.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
25,734 ± 2,877
Gulf War (2001-)
6,231 ± 1,360
Korea
6,145 ± 1,414

Lee County, FL has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 4.13 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

Median household income in Lee County, FL is $56,129. In 2018, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Lee County, FL was Census Tract 503.05 with a value of $134,444, followed by Census Tract 503.07 and Census Tract 401.13, with respective values of $117,854 and $115,568.

Males in Florida have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $46,612. The income inequality in Florida (measured using the Gini index) is 0.474, which is lower than than the national average.

The economy of Lee County, FL employs 322k people. The largest industries in Lee County, FL are Retail Trade (46,647 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (44,963 people), and Construction (41,548 people), and the highest paying industries are Finance & Insurance ($56,696), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($53,673), and Utilities ($52,257).

Wages

Median Household Income

$56,129

2018 value

± $1,578

4.08%

1 Year Growth

± 4.28%

Households in Lee County, FL have a median annual income of $56,129, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $53,928 in 2017, which represents a 4.08% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Lee County, FL compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Florida.

$62,257

Average Male Salary in Florida

± $878

$46,612

Average Female Salary in Florida

± $604

In 2018, full-time male employees in Florida made 1.34 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Florida by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Florida.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in Florida

Asian
$56,219 ± $3,256
White
$51,352 ± $590
American Indian
$40,596 ± $5,196

In 2018 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Florida workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.09 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in Florida.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Florida by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Lee County, FL is from Florida.

0.474

2018 Wage GINI in Florida

0.473

2017 Wage GINI in Florida

In 2018, the income inequality in Florida was 0.474 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.214% growth from 2017 to 2018, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Florida was lower than than the national average of 0.479. 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.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 503.05
Census Tract 503.07
Census Tract 401.13

In 2018, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Lee County, FL was Census Tract 503.05 with a value of $134,444, followed by Census Tract 503.07 and Census Tract 401.13, with respective values of $117,854 and $115,568.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Lee County, FL colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

14% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Lee County, FL (99k out of 709k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 35 - 44.

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.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

White
77,803 ± 2,378
Hispanic
35,281 ± 1,598
Black
14,267 ± 1,026

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

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

322k

2018 Value

± 11,678

1.78%

1 Year growth

± 5.16%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Lee County, FL grew at a rate of 1.78%, from 317k employees to 322k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Lee County, FL, are Sales & Related Occupations (42,701 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (36,959 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (29,855 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Lee County, FL.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Lee County, FL, by number of employees, are Sales & Related Occupations (42,701 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (36,959 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (29,855 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Lee County, FL has an unusually high number of residents working as Construction & Extraction Occupations (1.83 times higher than expected), Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maintenance Occupations (1.32 times), and Sales & Related Occupations (1.31 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Lee County, FL, by median earnings, are Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($71,632), Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($58,863), and Management Occupations ($57,428).

Industries

Employment by Industries

322k

2018 Value

± 11,678

1.78%

1 Year growth

± 5.16%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Lee County, FL grew at a rate of 1.78%, from 317k employees to 322k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Lee County, FL, are Retail Trade (46,647 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (44,963 people), and Construction (41,548 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.

Most Common

The most common industries in Lee County, FL, by number of employees, are Retail Trade (46,647 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (44,963 people), and Construction (41,548 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Lee County, FL has an unusually high number of Construction (1.95 times higher than expected), Real Estate & Rental & Leasing (1.92 times), and Administrative & Support & Waste Management Services (1.52 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Lee County, FL, by median earnings, are Finance & Insurance ($56,696), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($53,673), and Utilities ($52,257).

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Florida to other states, or from other states to Florida.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2015, the top outbound Florida product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $57.1B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($44.9B) and Gasoline ($41.8B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Florida products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Florida.

$457B

2015 Value in Florida

$714B

Projected 2045 Value in Florida

56.2% growth

In 2015, total outbound Florida trade was $457B. This is expected to increase 56.2% to $714B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Florida trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Florida to other states, or from other states to Florida.

Most Common Trade Partners

Georgia
$17.7B
Texas
$15.1B
California
$10.7B

In 2015, the top outbound Florida domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Georgia with $17.7B, followed by Texas with $15.1B and California and $10.7B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Florida shares with each state (excluding itself).

Education

In 2017, universities in Lee County, FL awarded 8,569 degrees. The student population of Lee County, FL is skewed towards women, with 13,768 male students and 19,957 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Lee County, FL are White (5,102 and 60.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (2,002 and 23.7%), Black or African American (819 and 9.7%), and Two or More Races (198 and 2.35%).

The largest universities in Lee County, FL by number of degrees awarded are Florida SouthWestern State College (3,217 and 37.5%), Florida Gulf Coast University (3,173 and 37%), and Fort Myers Technical College (726 and 8.47%).

The most popular majors in Lee County, FL are Liberal Arts & Sciences (2,429 and 28.3%), Registered Nursing (482 and 5.62%), and General Cosmetology (323 and 3.77%).

The median tuition costs in Lee County, FL are $N/A for private four year colleges, and $3,314 and $16,039 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
309 degree-majorss awarded
General Business Administration & Management
62 degree-majorss awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
2,429 degree-majorss awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Lee County, FL was Registered Nursing with 309 degree-majorss awarded.

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

Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Florida SouthWestern State College
3,217 degrees awarded
Florida Gulf Coast University
3,173 degrees awarded
Fort Myers Technical College
726 degrees awarded

$3,314

Median In-State Public

$N/A

Median Private

In 2017, the Lee County, FL institution with the largest number of graduating students was Florida SouthWestern State College with 3,217 degrees awarded.

Student Gender for Common Institutions

3,516

Degrees Awarded to Men

5,053

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 3,516 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Lee County, FL, which is 0.696 times less than the 5,053 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in Lee County, FL by degrees awarded.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
5,102 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
2,002 degrees awarded
Black or African American
819 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Lee County, FL were to White students. These 5,102 degrees mean that there were 2.55 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 2,002 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Lee County, FL was $235,000 in 2018, which is 1.02 times larger than the national average of $229,700. Between 2017 and 2018 the median property value increased from $225,300 to $235,000, a 4.31% increase. The homeownership rate in Lee County, FL is 72.8%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Lee County, FL have an average commute time of 26.4 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Lee County, FL is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$235,000

2018 Median

± $5,429

$225,300

2017 Median

± $5,501

In 2018, the median property value in Lee County, FL grew to to $235,000 from the previous year's value of $225,300.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Lee County, FL compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Lee County, FL the largest share of households have a property value in the $300k - $400k range.

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$56,129

Median Household Income

± $1,578

281k

Number of Households

± 8,855

In 2018, the median household income of the 281k households in Lee County, FL grew to $56,129 from the previous year's value of $53,928.

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.

Property Taxes

$3k+

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Lee County, FL 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.

Rent vs Own

72.8%

2018 Homeownership

71.4%

2017 Homeownership

In 2018, 72.8% of the housing units in Lee County, FL were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 71.4%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Lee County, FL compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

26.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Lee County, FL have a longer commute time (26.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.7 minutes). Additionally, 1.67% 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.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

Drove Alone
79.9%
Carpooled
10.3%
Worked At Home
5.84%

In 2018, the most common method of travel for workers in Lee County, FL was Drove Alone (79.9%), followed by those who Carpooled (10.3%) and those who Worked At Home (5.84%).

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.

Transportation

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, followed by 3 cars.

Health

86.7% of the population of Lee County, FL has health coverage, with 34% on employee plans, 14.7% on Medicaid, 20.8% on Medicare, 15.8% on non-group plans, and 1.41% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Florida was $8,076 in 2014. This is a 5.05% increase from the previous year ($7,688).

Primary care physicians in Lee County, FL see 1621 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.34% increase from the previous year (1584 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2082 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1073 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Gadsden County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (16.9%). Additionally, Liberty County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (39.6%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,621 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Lee County, FL

Primary care physicians in Lee County, FL see an average of 1,621 patients per year. This represents a 2.34% increase from the previous year (1,584 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.

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

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

$8,076

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in Florida

$4,606

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$5,175

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$12,229

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Florida (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 5.05%, from $7,688 to $8,076.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

13.3%

Uninsured

34%

Employer Coverage

14.7%

Medicaid

20.8%

Medicare

15.8%

Non-Group

1.41%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Lee County, FL grew by 9.1% from 12.2% to 13.3%.

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.