Lee County, Florida: commercial real estate data.
Lee County, Florida has a population of 817,666 across 785 square miles, up 13.2 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $54.16 bn in 2024, 22,756 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 948 7(a) approvals worth $652.0 m.
129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Lee County
How many people live in Lee County
- Population817,666
- Households327,803
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$76,107
- Median age49.0
- Median gross rent$1,712 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$362,200
- Home value to household income4.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income27.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher31.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree12.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over618,547
- Population under 18140,310
- Share under 1817.2 percent
- Population 65 and over236,549
- Share 65 and over28.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64440,807
- Civilian labor force372,085
- Unemployment rate4.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over54.9 percent
- Rank by population among Florida counties8th of 67
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents77th
Lee County is the 8th largest of 67 Florida counties by population. A median home costs 4.8 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 28.9 percent against 17.2 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single storey product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Lee County
Is Lee County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base13.16 percent
- Census 2020 base population760,822
- Births, 20247,462
- Deaths, 20248,809
- Natural change, 2024-1,347
- Net domestic migration, 20245,000
- Net international migration, 202413,057
- Total net migration, 202418,057
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 202469,446
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents85th
The county has grown 13.16 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Lee County
Where people moving to Lee County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving31,182
- People arriving, from those returns53,870
- Adjusted gross income arriving$4.75 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$152,292
- Largest single originLee County Non-migrants (305,809 households)
- Largest single destination (305,809 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County Non-migrants | 305,809 | 568,298 | $34.73 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 6,055 | 10,658 | $852.5 m |
| Collier County | 2,724 | 4,616 | $308.2 m |
| Other flows - South | 2,276 | 3,998 | $239.8 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 2,189 | 3,905 | $391.6 m |
| Miami-Dade County | 2,187 | 3,864 | $98.7 m |
| Broward County | 1,015 | 1,788 | $73.5 m |
| Other flows - Northeast | 820 | 1,393 | $105.8 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Lee County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Lee County
What the Lee County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$54.16 bn
- County GDP, 2023$50.95 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.3 percent
- GDP change over five years51.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among Florida counties8th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents110th
- GDP per resident$66,237
Output grew 6.3 percent in the latest year and 51.4 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Lee County
Who employs people in Lee County
- Covered employment, annual average299,283
- Establishments reporting28,954
- Average annual pay$61,578
- Average weekly wage$1,184
- Sector 44-45, employment42,882
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$41,729
- Sector 23, employment41,448
- Sector 23, average annual pay$65,083
- Sector 62, employment34,073
- Sector 62, average annual pay$67,920
- Sector 72, employment33,101
- Sector 72, average annual pay$31,000
- Sector 56, employment20,155
- Sector 54, employment17,669
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 44-45 | 42,882 | 2,831 | $41,729 |
| Sector 23 | 41,448 | 5,000 | $65,083 |
| Sector 62 | 34,073 | 2,585 | $67,920 |
| Sector 72 | 33,101 | 1,825 | $31,000 |
| Sector 56 | 20,155 | 2,482 | $51,504 |
| Sector 54 | 17,669 | 3,706 | $96,651 |
| Sector 81 | 9,785 | 2,125 | $48,089 |
| Sector 71 | 8,820 | 427 | $43,869 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 42,882 jobs, 14.3 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Lee County
What businesses operate in Lee County
- Establishments, all industries22,756
- Employment at those establishments264,855
- Annual payroll$14.68 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents27.8
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Lee County
What is being built in Lee County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202415,411
- Declared construction value permitted$3.90 bn
- Single family units authorised10,554
- Multifamily units authorised4,857
- Multifamily share of units31.5 percent
- Average declared value per unit$252,788
- Units authorised per 1,000 households47.0
Multifamily is 31.5 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Lee County
How much SBA lending happens in Lee County
- 7(a) approvals recorded948
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$652.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$687,753
- Median 7(a) approval$305,500
- 10th percentile approval$35,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,816,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)12,183
- Jobs per approval12.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active127
- Distinct industries receiving approvals247
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer14.1 percent
- Loans on real estate terms134
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter745
- Franchise loans151
- Franchise share of approvals15.9 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (51)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (138)
- 504 approvals recorded264
- 504 gross approval dollars$239.5 m
- Average 504 approval$907,148
- Median 504 approval$583,000
- Distinct CDCs active6
- 504 jobs per approval11.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved12.1
- Most active CDCFlorida First Capital Finance Corporation, Inc. (140)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals78.2 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$891.5 m
The average approval of $687,753 sits well above the median of $305,500, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 14.1 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lee County
Do SBA loans in Lee County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded179
- Paid in full150
- Charged off29
- Charge off rate on resolved loans16.2 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure578
- Status: Paid in full150
- Status: Cancelled130
- Status: Charged off29
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed61
| NAICS | Industry | Resolved loans | Charged off | Charge off rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 722511 | Full-Service Restaurants | 10 | 1 | 10.0% |
| 238990 | All Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 10 | 2 | 20.0% |
Of the 179 loans that have reached a final outcome, 16.2 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong. Among industries with at least ten resolved loans, All Other Specialty Trade Contractors carries the highest charge off rate at 20.0 percent.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lee County
Which parts of Lee County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending21
- Fort Myers, approvals432
- CAPE CORAL, approvals219
- Bonita Springs, approvals88
- Lehigh Acres, approvals61
- ESTERO, approvals55
- NORTH FORT MYERS, approvals45
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Myers | 432 | $377,019,200 |
| CAPE CORAL | 219 | $105,748,600 |
| Bonita Springs | 88 | $48,345,400 |
| Lehigh Acres | 61 | $34,329,900 |
| ESTERO | 55 | $37,020,700 |
| NORTH FORT MYERS | 45 | $29,287,700 |
| ALVA | 9 | $1,365,700 |
| Sanibel | 7 | $5,259,600 |
Fort Myers accounts for 432 approvals against 219 in CAPE CORAL. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lee County
How big is Lee County
- Land area785 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Florida counties26th of 67
- Width, east to west43.7 mi
- Height, north to south31.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary3
- Residents per square mile of land1,042
- Establishments per square mile28.99
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Lee County
What hazards affect Lee County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 5
- Communities carrying a CRS class7
The EPA places the county in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 5, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for properties in the participating community.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Lee County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Lee County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population817,666
- Households327,803
- Average household size2.49
- Median household income$76,107
- Median age49.0
Common questions
Lee County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lee County, Florida?
817,666, in 327,803 households, ranking 8th of 67 Florida counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lee County growing?
The population has grown 13.16 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 7,462 births against 8,809 deaths, with net migration of 18,057. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lee County?
$76,107. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $362,200, which is 4.8 times income, and median gross rent is $1,712 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Lee County?
22,756 establishments, employing 264,855 people with an annual payroll of $14.68 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Lee County?
Average annual pay is $61,578, or $1,184 a week, across 299,283 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Lee County?
948 7(a) approvals totalling $652.0 m since FY2020, across 127 lenders, with a median approval of $305,500, plus 264 504 approvals worth $239.5 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Lee County get paid back?
Of the 179 loans that have reached a final outcome, 150 were paid in full and 29 charged off, a charge off rate of 16.2 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Lee County?
15,411 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $3.90 bn. Multifamily was 31.5 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lee County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Lee County come from?
The largest single origin is Lee County Non-migrants, with 305,809 households. Arriving households report an average income of $152,292 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Lee County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Lee County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.