Population 817,666 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lee County
Household size in Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.58 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.72 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.76 | 2.75 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.59 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.00 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Lee County average 2.59 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Households are largest in the east and smallest in the southwest.
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 Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.0 | 40.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.2 | 42.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 48.3 | 43.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.5 | 43.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.5 | +2.7 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 48.5, Lee County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 44.0 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Lee County (9.5%), below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 1.5 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Lee County
Renters in Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.2% | 30.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.7% | 33.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.7% | 34.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.7% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a quarter of households in Lee County rent their homes (25.7%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 44.4% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 0.5 points, as it has nationally.
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 Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.1% | 17.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.5% | 17.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 24.8% | 15.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.9% | 12.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −9.2 pts | −4.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Lee County: 19.9% 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 fallen 9.2 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1991 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1992 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1993 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1997 | 1989 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Lee County has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1997, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1991 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the north 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 Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,077 | $1,092 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,041 | $1,123 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,298 | $1,323 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,840 | $1,816 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$763 | +$724 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Lee County costs $1,840 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $763 a month since 2006–10, up 71%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 35.7% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the southeast and lowest in the north.
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 Lee County
Bachelor's degrees in Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.2% | 26.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.3% | 27.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.0% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.3% | 34.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +8.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Lee County than nationally: 31.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.0 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the east.
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 Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.4% | 85.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.8% | 86.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.3% | 88.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.2% | 90.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Lee County is close to the national rate: 90.2% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 3.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 8.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 11.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.9 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Lee County runs below the national rate: 4.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 5.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. 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).
Lee County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 2.59 | 48.5 | 9.5% | 25.7% | 19.9% | 1997 | $1,840 | 31.3% | 90.2% | 4.1% |
| Collier County | 2.56 | 51.8 | 8.4% | 23.4% | 23.3% | 1998 | $2,053 | 39.8% | 89.3% | 4.0% |
| Charlotte County | 2.22 | 58.3 | 6.0% | 16.2% | 20.0% | 1992 | $1,573 | 26.9% | 92.7% | 4.9% |
| Hendry County | 2.92 | 36.8 | 19.8% | 26.4% | 11.7% | 1993 | $1,172 | 13.7% | 68.0% | 4.1% |
| DeSoto County | 2.64 | 45.3 | 13.3% | 27.5% | 18.2% | 1988 | $918 | 11.7% | 73.9% | 9.7% |
| Glades County | 2.52 | 48.6 | 11.9% | 14.9% | 25.0% | 1993 | $892 | 14.0% | 76.6% | 5.6% |
| Sarasota County | 2.20 | 55.0 | 6.7% | 23.3% | 16.3% | 1990 | $1,986 | 40.3% | 94.6% | 3.8% |
| Highlands County | 2.28 | 52.1 | 9.0% | 21.4% | 18.3% | 1986 | $1,160 | 20.7% | 86.3% | 6.8% |
| Hardee County | 3.12 | 36.6 | 17.4% | 28.6% | 16.0% | 1988 | $985 | 12.1% | 75.6% | 4.8% |
| Manatee County | 2.50 | 49.3 | 7.7% | 25.7% | 17.3% | 1996 | $1,998 | 39.2% | 91.7% | 4.4% |
| Okeechobee County | 2.64 | 42.1 | 13.1% | 26.1% | 17.8% | 1989 | $1,105 | 15.5% | 79.4% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Sacramento County, CA · Travis County, TX · Wake County, NC · Westchester County, NY · Suffolk County, NY · Salt Lake County, UT · Pima County, AZ · Contra Costa County, CA · Alameda County, CA · Middlesex County, MA
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 Lee County. 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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