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Living in
Cape Coral.
About
Life in Cape Coral
If you're considering Cape Coral, understand first that you're moving to a rapidly growing mid-sized city that's doubled in population since 2010—it's now Florida's ninth-largest city, and it still feels like it's figuring out what it wants to be. The economy runs on healthcare, retail, and real estate, which means jobs exist but they're not necessarily high-paying; median household income sits around $78,000, and unemployment is healthy at 4.1%, though you'll likely find yourself working in service-sector roles unless you have specialized skills. The job market is genuinely tight for career advancement, so if you're not tied to healthcare, education, or construction, you might be commuting to Fort Myers or beyond—that's about 30 minutes on average, though rush hour can stretch it longer on the bridges.
Cape Coral at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
48.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
10.7%
Foreign-Born
19.1%
Broadband Internet
92.9%
of households
Population Growth
+21.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics19.1% foreign-born, most often from Cuba
Who lives in Cape Coral: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Cape Coral, the largest foreign-born group is from Cuba (42.7%), and 21.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
17.6%
of residents
65 and Older
25.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
24.5%
of households
Married Couples
54.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.59
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 11% above FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Cape Coral
In Cape Coral, rent runs 11% above the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
61.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
31.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
102.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,176
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
77.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2000
median year built
Vacant Homes
17.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $334,660 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for FL
Unemployment in Cape Coral
Unemployment in Cape Coral is close to the FL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Cape Coral Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute29.9 min avg
How Cape Coral residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Cape Coral, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 53% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 mi
Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW)
Medium hub5.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 104 mi
Tampa International Airport (TPA)
Major hub12.1M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 69% below national average
Crime rates for 2023
Older dataThe latest complete year reported to the FBI is 2023. It's compared with the national rate for 2023.
Violent crime in Cape Coral runs 69% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
121.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (386 national, 2023)
Property Crime Rate
913.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,951 national, 2023)
Cape Coral Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 8 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
99.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Lee County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Lee County, which includes Cape Coral, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 8 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | Hail | None reported |
| 2024 | 10 | Tropical Storm | $155.1M |
| 2023 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $8,000 |
| 2022 | 19 | Flood | $7010.1M |
| 2021 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $775,000 |
| 2020 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $100.1M |
| 2019 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $645,000 |
| 2018 | 5 | Hail | $500,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Lee County, county-wide
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Lee County, which includes Cape Coral, is typically good — 279 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
40
Good Days
279
per year
Moderate Days
86
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Lee County, county-wide
Climate91°F summers, 56°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Cape Coral has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and warm winters (avg low 56°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
85°/64°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/74°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
86°/69°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
77°/56°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
57.4"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
120
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
116
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°F | 54°F | 2.43" |
| Feb | 78°F | 57°F | 1.78" |
| Mar | 81°F | 60°F | 2.07" |
| Apr | 85°F | 64°F | 2.44" |
| May | 90°F | 69°F | 3.46" |
| Jun | 91°F | 74°F | 9.66" |
| Jul | 92°F | 75°F | 9.38" |
| Aug | 92°F | 75°F | 10.43" |
| Sep | 90°F | 74°F | 9.00" |
| Oct | 87°F | 69°F | 3.08" |
| Nov | 81°F | 62°F | 1.78" |
| Dec | 77°F | 57°F | 1.90" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Cape Coral
Cape Coral has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
11.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Cape Coral Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Lee Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.7 mi away · Fort Myers
Park Royal Hospital
Psychiatric · 10.7 mi away · Fort Myers
Gulf Coast Medical Center Lee Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.3 mi away · Fort Myers
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education23.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Cape Coral
Cape Coral's student/teacher ratio is 23.3:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 26.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
27
within city limits
Private Schools
7
within city limits
College Degree Rate
26.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
23.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Cape Coral (within 15 miles)
Florida SouthWestern State College
9.3 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 11,052 students · in-state tuition $3,401 · 36% graduate · median earnings $48,404 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Big Cypress National Preserve, 73 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Cape Coral
Cape Coral has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Big Cypress National Preserve (73 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Big Cypress National Preserve
National Preserve
73 mi awayDe Soto National Memorial
National Memorial
73 mi awayPublic Libraries in Cape Coral
Cape Coral-Lee County Public Library
921 Sw 39th Ter, Cape Coral
Northwest Regional Library
519 N Chiquita Blvd, Cape Coral
Cities Near Cape Coral
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Cape Coral?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Cape Coral FAQ
Is Cape Coral, Florida affordable?⌄
Cape Coral's median rent is $1,858/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $78,104/year. Median home value is $373,500.
Is Cape Coral, Florida safe?⌄
Cape Coral's violent crime rate was 121 per 100,000 residents in 2023, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 386/100k that year. Property crime rate is 913 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Cape Coral, Florida?⌄
Cape Coral has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Cape Coral, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Cape Coral is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,858/month and median household income is $78,104/year. The median home value is $373,500. About 62% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Cape Coral, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Cape Coral is 30 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from