Village · Florida
Estero, Florida
Estero, village, in Lee County, Florida. Estero had 38,365 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 36,939 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 37,858 (±52). GEOID 1221150.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
38,365
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 36,939 · ACS 2020-2024: 37,858 ±52
Median household income
$104,102
±$7,413 (90% margin)
Florida: $74,568
Median home value
$461,900
±$14,445 (90% margin)
Florida: $359,000
Median gross rent
$1,920
±$104 (90% margin)
Florida: $1,669
Where is Estero and what county is it in?
Estero is a village in Lee County, Florida. It covers 24.4 square miles of land, 1,516 residents per square mile in 2020.
Estero is in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Estero, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 38,365 people lived in Estero on July 1, 2025, up 3.9% since 2020, slower than Florida (+8.9%). The 2020 Census counted 36,939 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 37,858 (±52).
| Measure | Estero | Lee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 37,858 ±52 | 817,666 | +5,043 |
| Households | 18,573 ±449 | 327,803 | +3,570 |
| Average household size | 2.03 ±0.05 | 2.45 | −0.16 |
| Housing units | 26,937 ±533 | 441,194 | +2,958 |
Estero's population since 2000
From 9,503 in 2000 to 38,365 in 2025: up 303.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Estero as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Estero?
The median resident of Estero is 66.0 years old; 9.9% are under 18 and 51.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 86.1%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 8.7%. 11.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Estero | Lee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 66.0 ±1.0 | 49.0 | +1.8 |
| Under 18 years | 9.9% ±1.2 pts | 17.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 51.9% ±2.6 pts | 28.9% | – |
| Male | 48.6% ±1.4 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 8.7% ±1.5 pts | 24.7% | +3.6 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 86.1% ±2.0 pts | 62.0% | −3.4 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±0.5 pts | 7.6% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.6% ±0.9 pts | 1.7% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.6% ±0.5 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 11.0% ±1.6 pts | 18.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 10.0% ±1.5 pts | 25.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.6% ±1.4 pts | 7.7% | – |
| With a disability | 12.0% ±1.7 pts | 13.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.5% ±1.6 pts | 12.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.1% ±1.0 pts | 90.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 50.8% ±2.4 pts | 31.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 21.8% ±1.8 pts | 12.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.1% ±1.9 pts | 86.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 5.5% ±1.3 pts | 4.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Estero earn?
Half of Estero's 18,573 households earn less than $104,102 a year (±$7,413), against $76,107 in Lee County and $74,568 in Florida. In 2015-2019 it was $100,983 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 7.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Estero | Lee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $104,102 ±$7,413 | $76,107 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $151,787 ±$11,673 | $106,517 | – |
| Per capita income | $75,647 ±$5,809 | $44,931 | +$9,586 |
| People below the poverty line | 7.7% ±2.1 pts | 12.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.9% ±6.2 pts | 16.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 2.7% ±1.7 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.2% ±0.8 pts | 96.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.4% ±1.2 pts | 92.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Estero?
Owners occupy 86.0% of Estero's occupied homes and renters 14.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $461,900 by its owner (±$14,445). The median renter pays $1,920 a month including utilities, and 44.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Estero | Lee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $461,900 ±$14,445 | $362,200 | +$43,956 |
| Median gross rent | $1,920 ±$104 | $1,712 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 44.9% ±9.7 pts | 50.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,235 ±$79 | $1,921 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 86.0% ±2.5 pts | 74.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 14.0% ±2.5 pts | 25.7% | – |
| Housing units | 26,937 ±533 | 441,194 | +2,958 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 6.5% ±4.2 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 45.0% ±2.4 pts | 55.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 9.1% ±1.3 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.0% ±0.5 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 13.1% ±1.4 pts | 12.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.4% ±0.9 pts | 5.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Estero building?
Builders took permits for 428 new housing units in Estero in 2025 (98 in single-family houses), 11.2 per 1,000 residents against 7.6 across Florida.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Estero work and get to work?
68.5% of Estero's workers drive alone and 23.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 26.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.1%.
| Measure | Estero | Lee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 40.1% ±2.1 pts | 53.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% ±1.7 pts | 4.0% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 68.5% ±4.0 pts | 70.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.5% ±1.8 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 1.1% ±0.9 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 23.2% ±3.5 pts | 15.4% | +10.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.0 min ±2.0 | 29.4 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Estero?
11 census tracts lie mostly in Estero, and 7 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $71,735 (Tract 502.11) to $159,199 (Tract 503.19).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 503.11Lee County | 8,630 | $121,046 |
| Tract 503.20Lee County | 5,060 | $101,767 |
| Tract 503.16Lee County | 2,765 | $116,326 |
| Tract 502.10Lee County | 2,660 | $74,128 |
| Tract 502.07Lee County | 2,613 | $97,238 |
| Tract 501.04Lee County | 2,798 | $75,982 |
| Tract 503.06Lee County | 2,546 | $72,467 |
| Tract 502.11Lee County | 2,388 | $71,735 |
| Tract 401.18Lee County | 2,267 | $101,833 |
| Tract 503.18Lee County | 6,036 | $97,534 |
| Tract 503.19Lee County | 2,690 | $159,199 |
| Tract 503.15Lee County | 1,537 | $126,728 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Estero) · Census block assignment files
How does Estero compare with other places in Florida?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Estero is the 1,084th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 85th-most populous of 411 in Florida.
Estero ranks 124th of 754 places in Florida with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 85th | 411 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 173rd | 328 |
| Residents per square mile | 465th | 770 |
| Median household income | 124th | 754 |
| Per capita income | 58th | 763 |
| Median home value | 180th | 749 |
| Median gross rent | 176th | 710 |
| Poverty rate | 502nd | 634 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 116th | 733 |
| Median age | 54th | 762 |
| Owner-occupied share | 162nd | 760 |
| Work from home | 137th | 596 |
| Travel time to work | 463rd | 764 |
Estero's figures with every place in Florida (CSV)
Every place in Florida, sortable · Compare Estero with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Estero?
8 of the 57 figures for Estero on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Estero are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Estero.