Top 10 Reasons to Move to Fort Myers

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Discover why many are moving to the City of Palms.

If you recently visited the Fort Myers or SW Florida area on a vacation and gave some thought as to living here year-round, you're definitely not alone. With our growing economy, strong job market and affordable real estate, there are so many great reasons to move to Fort Myers! Whether you’re a young professional seeking career opportunities or you're looking for the perfect destination to retire, come see what Fort Myers is all about! Below are my TOP 10 reasons to relocate to Fort Myers.

Top 10 Reasons to Relocate to Fort Myers

Fort Myers and Naples are Safe Cities to Live In

Naples and Fort Myers have been ranked as the #1 and #3 safest cities to live in the nation respectively for 2023 based upon a recent study by US News & World Report. These rankings are based upon reports of crimes per 100,000 people for metro areas across the US. View the safest places to live rankings list.

SAFEST CITIES
TO LIVE IN THE US
IN 2023

Safest Cities to Live in the US (2023)

#	City	Median Home Price	Median Age
1	Naples, FL	$580,568	65.4 yrs
2	Port Saint Lucie, FL	$373,928	42.7 yrs
3	Fort Myers, FL	$358,982	40.9 yrs
4	Portland, ME	$474,535	36.5 yrs
5	Lakeland, FL	$280,830	40.8 yrs

Housing prices as of Feb 28, 2023.

Fort Myers is the Fastest Growing City in America

The city of Fort Myers was recently ranked as the #1 Fastest-Growing City in all of Florida by the Census Bureau. View Rankings List. This study focused on population growth from July of 2020 thru July of 2021. Since the 2010 census with a population of 62,298, the Fort Myers population has now grown to 92,245 (2021 data) which represents a 48% overall increase.
There is No State Income Tax in Florida!

One BIG reason why many choose to relocate to the sunshine state is the lack of a state income tax. Yep, you read that correctly! In lieu of a state tax, the State of Florida earns a healthy income from the millions of tourists that vacation in the state each year through a 7% sales tax (state level) and a 5% tourist tax (county level) on revenues from rental property and hotel stays that are for a term of six month or less. Once you declare residency in Florida, you will be thankful for the many tourists as they are paying your share of the state taxes.
Top-Rated Fort Myers & Captiva Island Beaches

The beaches of Lee County are among some of most beautiful and popular in our state. Fort Myers Beach, lined with waterfront restaurants and open-air bars, was recently ranked the as the 14th best beach in the US by TripAdvisor. Sanibel, and nearby Captiva to the north, are consistently ranked among some of the best in the world for shelling. Shelling is the act of locating, observing and collecting sea shells. Sanibel Island Beaches

Bowman Beach, Sanibel Island
Fort Myers Real Estate Offers Great Value

The Fort Myers real estate market has reasonably priced options for both the working class and retirees alike. At the end of April 2023, the median home price in Ft Myers is $364K whereas the median home price in Lee County is $375K. Having a water view or living on a golf course will obviously cost you extra. To make a comparison, the median home price in Naples is roughly 200K more at $584K which makes Fort Myers a great value.
Fort Myers is an Outdoor Year-Round Playground

With an average temperature of 74 degrees year-round and 271 sunny days per year, Fort Myers is the perfect destination for outdoor enthusiasts. If you enjoy a great workout in the sunshine, try kayaking or stand-up paddle boarding through natural mangroves to see Florida wild birds and abundant sea life. If you are seeking a more relaxed activity, rent or charter a boat for a day and explore the waterways, islands and remote sand bars.
Fort Myers Has a Strong Economy & Job Market

The Fort Myers employment and job market has been very strong in recent years with unemployment at just under 3% (well below the nation's average of 3.7%). The top industries in Fort Myers include hospitality, healthcare, education, trades, retail and professional services. The biggest and largest employers in Lee County include Lee Health System, the Lee County School District, local City Government and Publix Supermarkets.
Fort Myers Has Endless Events to Check Out

Fort Myers and SW Florida offers residents an active scene of year-round events, great performances and outdoor festivals to continually check out. In addition, there are also many popular community events that take place each year including Artfest Fort Myers, The Southwest Florida Music Festival, Crafts on the River, The Craft Beer & Music Festival, The Fort Myers Beach Pirate Fest and many more!
Fort Myers Has Great Dining Options

The Fort Myers area offers a full array of casual outdoor eateries to elegant, five-star restaurants to enjoy. There are also many new, trendy craft breweries and beer gardens to visit. These locations offer a casual environment, are pet-friendly and many have daily live entertainment. Downtown Fort Myers, Cape Coral (near the bridge) and Fort Myers Beach are some of these trendy places to check out!
Fort Myers is a Great Small City to Start a Business

With an increasing population, Fort Myers makes a great small city to start a business. WalletHub recently ranked Fort Myers as the 5th Best small city in the nation (out of 1,200+ small-sized cities) to start a new business based upon 18 key factors including average growth rate, the current number of small businesses currently in the area, access to investor capital as well as local labor costs. View WalletHub Ranking List.