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Living in
Estero.
About
Life in Estero
The homeownership culture is real—85% of residents own their homes, and the median home value sits around $460,000, which reflects the affluent character of the place. That said, this is a retirement and second-home destination at heart, with a median age of 64.5 years and nearly half the population over 65, so the social scene and community energy skew toward that demographic. The job market exists but isn't diverse; Hertz's headquarters brought stability, though opportunities depend on your field.
Estero at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
66.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.7%
Foreign-Born
11.0%
Broadband Internet
94.4%
of households
Population Growth
+3.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.0% foreign-born, most often from Canada
Who lives in Estero: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Estero, the largest foreign-born group is from Canada (19.9%), and 5.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
9.9%
of residents
65 and Older
51.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
10.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
26.2%
of households
Married Couples
60.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.03
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 15% above FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Estero
In Estero, rent runs 15% above the FL average, and home values are 29% above the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
49.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
102.3
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,877
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
86.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2004
median year built
Vacant Homes
31.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $486,132 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts above FL average
Unemployment in Estero
Unemployment in Estero is 0.8 percentage points higher than the FL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Estero Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute26 min avg
How Estero residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Estero, most residents drive alone to work (69%), and 61% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW)
Medium hub5.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 104 mi
Miami International Airport (MIA)
Major hub26.5M 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 43% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Lee County Sheriff's Office, which covers Estero, runs 43% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
188.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
745.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Lee County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
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 Estero, 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
Estero is about 5% of Lee County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality40 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Lee County, which includes Estero, 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
Estero is about 5% of Lee County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate91°F summers, 56°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Estero has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and warm winters (avg low 56°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
84°/63°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/75°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
86°/69°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
76°/56°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
53.4"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
119
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
132
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°F | 54°F | 2.36" |
| Feb | 78°F | 56°F | 1.49" |
| Mar | 80°F | 59°F | 1.92" |
| Apr | 85°F | 64°F | 1.87" |
| May | 88°F | 68°F | 3.02" |
| Jun | 90°F | 73°F | 10.33" |
| Jul | 91°F | 75°F | 8.56" |
| Aug | 91°F | 76°F | 8.75" |
| Sep | 90°F | 75°F | 8.49" |
| Oct | 86°F | 70°F | 3.11" |
| Nov | 81°F | 63°F | 1.89" |
| Dec | 77°F | 58°F | 1.60" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Estero
Uninsured
5.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Estero's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Gulf Coast Medical Center Lee Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.7 mi away · Fort Myers
Park Royal Hospital
Psychiatric · 9.1 mi away · Fort Myers
Lee Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.6 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.
Education23.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Estero
Estero's student/teacher ratio is 23.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 50.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
2
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
50.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
23.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Estero (within 15 miles)
Florida SouthWestern State College
10.3 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, 54 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Estero
Estero has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Big Cypress National Preserve (54 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Big Cypress National Preserve
National Preserve
54 mi awayDe Soto National Memorial
National Memorial
92 mi awayEverglades National Park
National Park
92 mi awayPublic Libraries in Estero
South County Regional Library
21100 Three Oaks Pkwy, Estero
Cities Near Estero
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Estero?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Estero FAQ
Is Estero, Florida affordable?⌄
Estero's median rent is $1,920/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $104,102/year. Median home value is $461,900.
Is Estero, Florida safe?⌄
Estero is policed by the Lee County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 188 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 746 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Estero, Florida?⌄
Estero has an unemployment rate of 4.7%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Estero, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Estero is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,920/month and median household income is $104,102/year. The median home value is $461,900. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Estero, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Estero is 26 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