Cape Coral vs Fort Myers
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $373,500 in Cape Coral and $384,500 in Fort Myers.
- Households earn more in Cape Coral ($78,104 vs $63,732 median).
- Cape Coral is growing faster: +21.8% since 2020 vs +17.5%.
- Commutes are shorter in Fort Myers (25 vs 30 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Cape Coral, FL | Fort Myers, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 236,264 | 101,581 |
| Growth since 2020 | +21.8% | +17.5% |
| People per square mile | 2,224 | 2,536 |
| Median age | 48.6 | 41.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27% | 32% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $78,104 | $63,732 |
| Median home value | $373,500 | $384,500 |
| Home value to income | 4.8× | 6.0× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,858 | $1,580 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 102.3 | 102.3 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 125.1 | 125.1 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $76,800 | $76,800 |
| Homeowners | 77% | 49% |
| Top state income tax | None | None |
| Combined sales tax | 6.98% | 6.98% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 29.9 | 25.2 |
| Work from home | 15% | 14% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.8% | 4.2% |
| Poverty rate | 10.7% | 16.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 75° / 54° | 75° / 54° |
| July high / low | 92° / 75° | 92° / 75° |
| Precipitation per year | 57 in | 57 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | n/a |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 120 | 120 |
| Nights below freezing | 0 | 0 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.0 | 99.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 76% | 76% |
| Home prices, past year | -0.9% | -0.9% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +27.8% | +27.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Cape Coral: November to April. Fort Myers: November to April.
Full monthly tables: Cape Coral weather by month and Fort Myers weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $76,800 in Cape Coral and $76,800 in Fort Myers. Moving from Cape Coral to Fort Myers, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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