Census-designated place · Florida
Fort Myers Shores, Florida
Fort Myers Shores, census-designated place, in Lee County, Florida. Fort Myers Shores had 5,946 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±899). GEOID 1224175.
Residents, 2020-2024
5,946
±899 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 5,774
Median household income
$72,955
±$19,005 (90% margin)
Florida: $74,568
Median home value
$292,900
±$24,529 (90% margin)
Florida: $359,000
Median gross rent
$1,567
±$267 (90% margin)
Florida: $1,669
Where is Fort Myers Shores and what county is it in?
Fort Myers Shores is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Lee County, Florida. It covers 2.1 square miles of land, 2,784 residents per square mile in 2020.
Fort Myers Shores 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 Fort Myers Shores, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Fort Myers Shores's population at 5,946 (±899). The 2020 Census counted 5,774 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Fort Myers Shores is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Fort Myers Shores | Lee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,946 ±899 | 817,666 | no clear change |
| Households | 2,158 ±407 | 327,803 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.75 ±0.39 | 2.45 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,485 ±384 | 441,194 | no clear change |
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 Fort Myers Shores?
The median resident of Fort Myers Shores is 37.6 years old; 21.2% are under 18 and 16.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 61.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 28.8%. 16.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Fort Myers Shores | Lee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.6 ±5.5 | 49.0 | −7.6 |
| Under 18 years | 21.2% ±5.0 pts | 17.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.3% ±3.8 pts | 28.9% | – |
| Male | 49.8% ±7.2 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 28.8% ±12.4 pts | 24.7% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 61.0% ±13.0 pts | 62.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.3% ±3.5 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.0% ±3.3 pts | 1.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.3% ±2.7 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.6% ±2.2 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 16.4% ±7.1 pts | 18.9% | +8.7 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 30.0% ±13.2 pts | 25.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.2% ±4.1 pts | 7.7% | – |
| With a disability | 16.2% ±6.0 pts | 13.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 24.8% ±10.7 pts | 12.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 79.4% ±8.6 pts | 90.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 17.6% ±5.6 pts | 31.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.8% ±3.2 pts | 12.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.3% ±4.2 pts | 86.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.7% ±0.6 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 Fort Myers Shores earn?
Half of Fort Myers Shores's 2,158 households earn less than $72,955 a year (±$19,005), against $76,107 in Lee County and $74,568 in Florida. In 2015-2019 it was $57,804 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 15.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Fort Myers Shores | Lee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,955 ±$19,005 | $76,107 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $88,326 ±$20,838 | $106,517 | – |
| Per capita income | $34,600 ±$7,890 | $44,931 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 15.7% ±7.4 pts | 12.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 27.3% ±17.4 pts | 16.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.9% ±6.1 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.7% ±3.2 pts | 96.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.6% ±4.7 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 Fort Myers Shores?
Owners occupy 53.8% of Fort Myers Shores's occupied homes and renters 46.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $292,900 by its owner (±$24,529). The median renter pays $1,567 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Fort Myers Shores | Lee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $292,900 ±$24,529 | $362,200 | +$91,805 |
| Median gross rent | $1,567 ±$267 | $1,712 | +$299 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 27.5% ±19.5 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,691 ±$403 | $1,921 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 53.8% ±11.4 pts | 74.3% | −14.3 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 46.2% ±11.4 pts | 25.7% | – |
| Housing units | 2,485 ±384 | 441,194 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±4.4 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 11.1% ±9.7 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 83.2% ±7.1 pts | 55.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.9% ±2.9 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.5% ±1.9 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.9% ±4.7 pts | 12.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.2% ±5.0 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 do people in Fort Myers Shores work and get to work?
76.5% of Fort Myers Shores's workers drive alone and 8.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 29.4 minutes.
| Measure | Fort Myers Shores | Lee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.6% ±7.3 pts | 53.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% ±4.9 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 76.5% ±10.9 pts | 70.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.0% ±5.3 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 3.5% ±5.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.8% ±5.5 pts | 15.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.4 min ±2.9 | 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 Fort Myers Shores?
1 census tract lies mostly in Fort Myers Shores, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 302.02Lee County | 5,843 | $71,957 |
| Tract 302.05Lee County | 3,957 | $93,111 |
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 Fort Myers Shores) · Census block assignment files
How does Fort Myers Shores compare with other places in Florida?
Fort Myers Shores ranks 367th of 754 places in Florida with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 437th | 766 |
| Residents per square mile | 267th | 770 |
| Median household income | 367th | 754 |
| Per capita income | 466th | 763 |
| Median home value | 475th | 749 |
| Median gross rent | 371st | 710 |
| Poverty rate | 203rd | 634 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 595th | 733 |
| Median age | 584th | 762 |
| Owner-occupied share | 654th | 760 |
| Work from home | 519th | 596 |
| Travel time to work | 273rd | 764 |
Fort Myers Shores's figures with every place in Florida (CSV)
Every place in Florida, sortable · Compare Fort Myers Shores 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 Fort Myers Shores?
20 of the 57 figures for Fort Myers Shores 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 Fort Myers Shores 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' school search.