Moving to Fort Myers, FL

City limits versus a Fort Myers mailing address

The first thing newcomers get wrong is the map. The City of Fort Myers has about 95,051 residents in Census data, but the Fort Myers name covers a much larger area of unincorporated Lee County. Many of the neighborhoods Zillow lists under Fort Myers, such as Iona, McGregor, San Carlos Park, Three Oaks, Gateway and Cypress Lake, are outside city limits with Fort Myers addresses.

That matters to a buyer. City or county determines which government sets part of your property tax rate, who handles permits and code enforcement, and in some cases who supplies water and sewer. When you look at a listing, check the jurisdiction on the Lee County Property Appraiser's site rather than relying on the city name in the address.

What housing costs and what kind of housing it is

The city's housing stock is denser than its neighbors'. Census data shows 34.8% of homes in buildings with 10 or more units and only 36.1% single-family detached, the reverse of Cape Coral next door. The median home was built in 2001.

• Condos: about $216,573 on Zillow, down 7.5% in a year.
• Single-family houses: about $352,645, down 3.2%.
• By size: about $214,882 for 2 bedrooms, $341,108 for 3 and $503,575 for 4.

The jump from 3 to 4 bedrooms, roughly $162,467, is unusually steep. Four-bedroom houses are more often in newer gated communities or on the river, while 3-bedroom homes include many older ranch houses. Across Zillow's neighborhoods, values run from about $163,496 in Tice to $769,737 in Town & River, so the area covers almost any budget.

Who lives here

Fort Myers is younger than most of the coast around it. The city's median age is 41.3, and 23.2% of residents are 65 or older, compared with a median age of 66.0 in Estero. Seasonal homes are 11.4% of the housing. In practice that means more families, more year-round workers and more activity in summer than in retiree-heavy towns. It also means more commuter traffic.

Getting around, jobs and daily life

The area is organized along a few main roads. I-75 runs north to south on the east side, US 41 runs through the middle, and McGregor Boulevard follows the Caloosahatchee River southwest from downtown. Bridges connect Fort Myers to Cape Coral across the river. Southwest Florida International Airport is in south Fort Myers, east of I-75.

• Healthcare is a large employer. Lee Health runs Lee Memorial Hospital, HealthPark Medical Center and Gulf Coast Medical Center in the Fort Myers area.
• Education: Florida SouthWestern State College has its main campus here, and Florida Gulf Coast University is to the south near Estero.
• Downtown is the River District on the Caloosahatchee. The Edison and Ford Winter Estates sit on McGregor Boulevard.
• Spring training: the Boston Red Sox play at JetBlue Park and the Minnesota Twins at Hammond Stadium.

Gulf beaches at Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel are a drive to the southwest, and in season that drive can be slow.

Hurricanes, flood and insurance

Hurricane Ian in 2022 hit Lee County hard, with storm surge in many low-lying areas near the river and the bay. Since then buyers here pay closer attention to elevation, and that is the right instinct. For any address, check the FEMA flood zone, ask for the elevation certificate and get a flood quote. With a mortgage in an A or V zone, flood insurance is required.

For wind coverage, roof age and a wind mitigation report drive the price. Homes built after the post-2002 Florida Building Code usually insure better. In a condo, ask about the master policy, reserves and the building's milestone inspection status, since roughly a third of the city's homes are in larger buildings that fall under Florida's newer condo safety rules. Hurricane deductibles are a percentage of dwelling coverage, often 2% to 5%.

Taxes and fees

Florida has no state income tax. Property taxes depend on your jurisdiction and assessment. If the home is your permanent residence, homestead takes up to $51,411 off assessed value and Save Our Homes caps increases at 3% or CPI. The assessment resets to market value when you buy, so ask for an estimate based on your price, not the seller's bill. Newer communities often carry an HOA and a CDD assessment on the tax bill.

Pros and cons for a buyer

Pros: lower prices than Estero at $486,132 or Bonita Springs at $502,544, a wide range of housing, a real job base, major hospitals, an airport close by and a younger, year-round population.

Cons: a confusing patchwork of city and county areas, heavy seasonal traffic, flood exposure near the water, and condo prices that have dropped faster than houses. If you tell me what you want close by, such as work, the beach, the airport or downtown, I can narrow Fort Myers to the two or three areas that make sense and build a shortlist there.