Estero receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Estero
Fort Myers
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 33%
vs43 · Bottom 22%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs67 · Top 21%
Climate
82 · Top 12%
vs81 · Top 16%
Physical resilience
5 · Bottom 1%
vs5 · Bottom 1%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 40%
vs45 · Bottom 7%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 9%
vs31 · Bottom 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Estero | Fort Myers | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,858 | 95,051 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $104,102 | $63,732 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $75,647 | $41,476 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,553/sq mi | 2,373/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $461,900 | $384,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,920 | $1,580 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 86.0% | 49.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.8% | 32.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | 16.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 395 | 1,587 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.4 | 16.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 23.4% | -19.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 54°F | 54°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.4" | 57.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 27.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 66.0 | 41.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 28 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.38 | 20.09 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.1% | 50.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Estero
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Fort Myers
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Estero
57
Your Score
53
Area Score
Fort Myers
49
Your Score
45
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Estero, FL · Fort Myers, FL · How this is calculated: methodology