Living in Southwest Florida

Southwest Florida spans Lee and Collier counties from Fort Myers and Cape Coral (the latter with more residential canal frontage than any other city in the world) down to Naples and Marco Island, among the most affluent markets in the state. The region took a direct hit from Hurricane Ian in 2022, and recovery/rebuilding remains a live, relevant context for anyone researching a move here -- alongside the area's well-established snowbird and retiree draw, high concentration of golf and country-club communities, and Gulf-coast beach access along the barrier islands.

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Places we've researched in Southwest Florida

Fort Myers -- Lee County
Cape Coral -- Lee County
Naples -- Collier County
Bonita Springs -- Lee County
Estero -- Lee County
Fort Myers Beach -- Lee County
Lehigh Acres -- Lee County
North Fort Myers -- Lee County
Marco Island -- Collier County
Golden Gate -- Collier County
Immokalee -- Collier County
Ave Maria -- Collier County

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-22. Independent research; see individual place pages for metric-level source attribution. This is not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.