Lee County is Now the Second Fasted Growing County in the State of Florida
The state of Florida, in general, has seen a major increase in population in recent years, and southwest Florida was no exception. This trend has continued through 2021. In fact, Lee County, the home of Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Bonita Springs was the second fastest growing county in the state. Between April of 2020 and July of 2021 more than 27,000 people have moved to the county. This translates to about 1,800 new residents per month.
The reasons for the state’s volcanic growth have a multitude of reasons including no state income tax combined with low sales and property taxes. Additionally, many folks who were annoyed by the lockdowns and other restrictions in many U.S. cities were attracted to the Florida model of remaining open for business, be it offices, restaurants, theaters, etc. And, in fact, the Florida model for dealing with the pandemic was more successful than many cities and states that were far more restrictive (e.g., New York City and state).
Another reason for the massive move to the Sunshine State is that while real estate prices have been rising in the state, it still remains less expensive, on average, than many U.S. cities and their suburbs. Additionally, everyday expenses, such as supermarket shopping and restaurants are more reasonably priced – again, on average.
But prices are rising. For example, average rents in Lee County have been rising significantly in recent years.
Some Stats to Consider
The average rent in Lee County in 2014 was $973, in 2016 it was $1,123, in 2018 it was $1,300, in 2021 it was $1,700, and as of February 2022, average rent reached $1,861.
According to the World Population Review, Lee County has an estimated population of 818,898 with a growth rate of 2.01% in the past year. Lee is the 9th largest county in the state, by population. Since 2010 the county’s population has grown a walloping 31.98%.
Homeowners represent 72.3%, while renters represent 27.7%. The mean income for all households is $82,544, for married families that number jumps to $106,929.
To sum up, Lee County can be seen as a microcosm of the state in general. In fact, most of Florida’s 67 counties are increasing at a hefty clip in terms of both population and rent, including the southeast counties, and those containing Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville.
Finally, it isn’t just the weather that explains the recent, strong population growth in the state. After all, the weather in Florida has been the same for thousands of years. It’s those multiple other factors discussed above that are the main drivers of the population surge.