Bonita Springs receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fort Myers
Bonita Springs
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 22%
vs51 · Bottom 39%
Growth
67 · Top 21%
vs51 · Top 49%
Climate
81 · Top 16%
vs82 · Top 12%
Physical resilience
5 · Bottom 1%
vs6 · Bottom 2%
Housing affordability
45 · Bottom 7%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Schools
24 · Bottom 16%
vs56 · Top 43%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs96 · Top 30%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 8%
vs29 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Fort Myers | Bonita Springs | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 95,051 | 55,904 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,732 | $95,210 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,476 | $66,345 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,373/sq mi | 1,455/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $384,500 | $497,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,580 | $1,882 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.1% | 81.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.7% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.0% | 43.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.3% | 9.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,587 | 332 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 16.7 | 5.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -19.6% | -71.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 54°F | 54°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.4" | 53.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.3 | 62.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 28 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.09 | 20.19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.9% | 63.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.0% | 56.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 50.2% | 39.8% | 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
Fort Myers
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Bonita Springs
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.
Fort Myers
49
Your Score
45
Area Score
Bonita Springs
54
Your Score
51
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fort Myers, FL · Bonita Springs, FL · How this is calculated: methodology