Population 9,003 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Fort Myers Beach
Household size in Fort Myers Beach
| Period | Fort Myers Beach | Fort Myers area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.85 | 2.58 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.88 | 2.72 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.93 | 2.76 | 2.75 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.90 | 2.59 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | +0.00 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Fort Myers Beach are small: just 1.90 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has crept up from 1.85 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Of the 512 Florida cities with 5,000+ people, only 22 have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Fort Myers Beach
| Period | Fort Myers Beach | Fort Myers area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 63.1 | 44.0 | 40.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 64.6 | 46.2 | 42.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 67.9 | 48.3 | 43.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 67.8 | 48.5 | 43.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.7 | +4.5 | +2.7 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 67.8, Fort Myers Beach is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 63.1, as it has nationally. Only five of the 512 Florida cities with 5,000+ people are older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Fort Myers Beach
| Period | Fort Myers Beach | Fort Myers area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 11.1% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.1% | 12.0% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 2.8% | 10.2% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.0% | 9.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Fort Myers Beach: 1.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 5.2 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 512 Florida cities with 5,000+ people, only two have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Fort Myers Beach
Renters in Fort Myers Beach
| Period | Fort Myers Beach | Fort Myers area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 25.2% | 30.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.9% | 30.7% | 33.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.9% | 27.7% | 34.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 10.3% | 25.7% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.9 pts | +0.5 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 10.3% of households in Fort Myers Beach rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About seven in ten owners (71.1%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 4.9 points, even as the national share rose. Only 31 of the 512 Florida cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Fort Myers Beach
| Period | Fort Myers Beach | Fort Myers area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.4% | 29.1% | 17.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 54.1% | 29.5% | 17.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 56.7% | 24.8% | 15.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 61.5% | 19.9% | 12.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | +6.1 pts | −9.2 pts | −4.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Fort Myers Beach: 61.5% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has risen 6.1 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Fort Myers Beach
| Period | Fort Myers Beach | Fort Myers area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1991 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1992 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1993 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1997 | 1989 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Fort Myers Beach are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1985, versus 1980 across the U.S. Even so, homes here are older than in the Fort Myers area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1997. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the south has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Fort Myers Beach
| Period | Fort Myers Beach | Fort Myers area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,107 | $1,077 | $1,092 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,144 | $1,041 | $1,123 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,250 | $1,298 | $1,323 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,732 | $1,840 | $1,816 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$625 | +$763 | +$724 | +$606 |
Rent in Fort Myers Beach runs $1,732 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in the Fort Myers area as a whole ($1,840). Rents are up $625 a month from 2006–10, a 56% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 36.0% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Fort Myers Beach
Bachelor's degrees in Fort Myers Beach
| Period | Fort Myers Beach | Fort Myers area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.3% | 24.2% | 26.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.8% | 25.3% | 27.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.8% | 28.0% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 39.5% | 31.3% | 34.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.2 pts | +7.0 pts | +8.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Fort Myers Beach than nationally: 39.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 7.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the north.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Fort Myers Beach
| Period | Fort Myers Beach | Fort Myers area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.5% | 86.4% | 85.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.0% | 86.8% | 86.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.2% | 88.3% | 88.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.2% | 90.2% | 90.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +3.7 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Fort Myers Beach: 97.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 512 Florida cities with 5,000+ people, only 34 have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Fort Myers Beach
| Period | Fort Myers Beach | Fort Myers area | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 9.9% | 8.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 11.8% | 11.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.2% | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 4.1% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −5.9 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Fort Myers Beach has been low: just 2.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.4 points, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Fort Myers Beach compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Myers Beach | 1.90 | 67.8 | 1.0% | 10.3% | 61.5% | 1985 | $1,732 | 39.5% | 97.2% | 2.8% |
| Iona | 1.78 | 67.1 | 2.4% | 26.2% | 42.6% | 1995 | $2,095 | 40.8% | 94.1% | 3.9% |
| Coconut | 2.35 | 58.3 | 7.2% | 20.3% | 31.3% | 2002 | $2,834 | 49.4% | 93.5% | 1.2% |
| Cypress Lake | 1.85 | 56.8 | 3.6% | 24.7% | 25.3% | 1988 | $1,752 | 34.5% | 93.2% | 4.1% |
| San Carlos Park | 2.86 | 37.6 | 10.4% | 26.4% | 11.9% | 1988 | $1,796 | 27.2% | 90.2% | 2.9% |
| McGregor | 2.31 | 55.5 | 5.5% | 20.5% | 22.6% | 1981 | $1,743 | 52.8% | 97.1% | 4.2% |
| Villas | 2.06 | 53.1 | 12.2% | 36.2% | 19.9% | 1986 | $1,677 | 34.3% | 94.3% | 2.7% |
| Whiskey Creek | 2.36 | 55.4 | 1.2% | 9.6% | 18.0% | 1980 | $2,226 | 41.5% | 97.2% | 3.1% |
| Estero | 2.35 | 54.2 | 4.9% | 13.5% | 27.3% | 2008 | $2,260 | 50.3% | 98.0% | 3.4% |
| Sanibel | 2.07 | 65.0 | 6.6% | 10.1% | 55.9% | 1985 | $806 | 63.9% | 99.3% | 5.6% |
| Fort Myers area | 2.59 | 48.5 | 9.5% | 25.7% | 19.9% | 1997 | $1,840 | 31.3% | 90.2% | 4.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Plainville, MA · Monahans, TX · Monmouth, IL · Oaklyn, NJ · Oberlin, OH · Ontario, NY · Penn Valley, CA · Peru, IL · Pfafftown, NC · Pine Hill, NJ
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Fort Myers Beach. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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