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Top 10 Reasons to Move to Fort Myers

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

  1. 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 2023-2024 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.

    # City Median Home Price Median Age
    1 Naples, FL $585K 65.4 yrs
    2 Port Saint Lucie, FL $397K 42.7 yrs
    3 Fort Myers, FL $354K 40.9 yrs
    4 Portland, ME $548K 36.5 yrs
    5 Lakeland, FL $321K 40.8 yrs
      Housing prices as of September 30, 2024
  2. Fort Myers is the 3rd Fastest Growing City in America
    The city of Fort Myers was recently ranked as the 3rd Fastest-Growing Place in the nation by US News & World Report. View Rankings List. This list was determined by analyzing net population changes to US metropolitan areas over the past five years.
  3. 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.
  4. 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
  5. 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 September 2024, the median home price in Ft Myers is $354K whereas the median home price in Lee County is $382K. 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 $585K which makes Fort Myers a great value.
  6. 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.
  7. 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 over 3% (well below the nation's average of 3.9%). 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.
  8. 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!
  9. 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!
  10. 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.

Jenna Scharf

Realtor®

Your Fort Myers Relocation Expert

239-222-8104

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Your Fort Myers Relocation Specialist



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