Best Places to Live in Southwest Florida

Ranked by the numbers, the top 10 are Fort Myers ($235,900 median), Naples ($425,000 median), North Fort Myers ($154,950 median), Parrish ($375,000 median), Bonita Springs ($425,250 median), Estero ($324,900 median), Bradenton ($399,000 median), Ave Maria ($324,995 median), Ellenton ($267,250 median), Venice ($395,000 median). 30 places qualified with at least 60 homes for sale; the score blends what it costs to own the median home against local income, five-year appreciation, county population growth, market balance, inventory depth and the own-versus-rent gap, all printed in the table.

30 cities in Southwest Florida, ranked

Place	Score	Median price	Cost to own / mo	Share of income	5-yr appreciation / yr	County pop. growth	Months supply	Homes for sale
1. Fort Myers Lee · list-based	55.2	$235,900	$1,680	27%	+1.6%	+10.3%	29% pending	1,293
2. Naples Collier · list-based	55.1	$425,000	$2,775	35%	+4.2%	+6.5%	32% pending	1,833
3. North Fort Myers Lee · list-based	54.5	$154,950	$1,143	25%	+1.6%	+10.3%	29% pending	346
4. Parrish Manatee	54.0	$375,000	$2,622	30%	+2.6%	+11.3%	3.3	645
5. Bonita Springs Lee · list-based	52.2	$425,250	$2,934	41%	+1.6%	+10.3%	29% pending	405
6. Estero Lee · list-based	52.2	$324,900	$2,269	27%	+1.6%	+10.3%	40% pending	219
7. Bradenton Manatee · list-based	51.8	$399,000	$2,784	49%	+2.6%	+11.3%	10% pending	1,995
8. Ave Maria Collier · list-based	51.5	$324,995	$2,153	45%	+4.2%	+6.5%	33% pending	70
9. Ellenton Manatee · list-based	51.4	$267,250	$1,897	34%	+2.6%	+11.3%	7% pending	98
10. Venice Sarasota · list-based	51.3	$395,000	$2,656	36%	+1.8%	+8.9%	10% pending	889
11. Marco Island Collier · list-based	51.0	$635,000	$4,080	47%	+4.2%	+6.5%	23% pending	247
12. North Port Sarasota · list-based	50.9	$339,000	$2,297	37%	+1.8%	+8.9%	9% pending	917
13. Lakewood Ranch Manatee · list-based	50.7	$619,000	$4,266	43%	+2.6%	+11.3%	23% pending	289
14. Palmetto Manatee · list-based	50.5	$399,950	$2,791	45%	+2.6%	+11.3%	12% pending	448
15. Port Charlotte Charlotte · list-based	50.4	$245,000	$1,764	34%	+0.2%	+10.2%	11% pending	366
16. Punta Gorda Charlotte · list-based	50.3	$329,900	$2,333	38%	+0.2%	+10.2%	9% pending	973
17. Englewood Charlotte · list-based	50.1	$350,000	$2,468	42%	+1.8%	+8.9%	12% pending	416
18. Sarasota Sarasota · list-based	50.0	$549,000	$3,645	54%	+1.8%	+8.9%	14% pending	2,397
19. Nokomis Sarasota · list-based	48.9	$535,000	$3,555	50%	+1.8%	+8.9%	23% pending	254
20. Cape Coral Lee · list-based	48.8	$329,450	$2,300	37%	+1.6%	+10.3%	58% pending	480
21. Sanibel Lee · list-based	48.8	$749,000	$5,080	50%	+1.6%	+10.3%	18% pending	104
22. Fort Myers Beach Lee · list-based	48.4	$522,000	$3,576	53%	+1.6%	+10.3%	12% pending	226
23. Rotonda West Charlotte · list-based	48.0	$396,000	$2,776	45%	+0.2%	+10.2%	11% pending	196
24. Lehigh Acres Lee · list-based	48.0	$303,990	$2,131	39%	+1.6%	+10.3%	69% pending	164
25. Arcadia DeSoto · list-based	47.3	$319,000	$2,268	57%	—	—	6% pending	125

How to read it: median price is the recorded MLS sale median for the past 12 months where our feeds carry sold records (at least 120 sales), otherwise the median asking price of current listings (rows marked list-based; appreciation and price change then come from the county Zillow index); cost to own is principal and interest on 80% of that median at the county’s current rate, plus non-homestead property tax at the county’s verified millage (less the $50,000 homestead exemption) and the county’s average Citizens premium; share of income is that annual cost against the Census median household income pooled over the ZIPs where the city’s homes are listed; 5-yr appreciation is the compound annual change in recorded medians; county pop. growth is the county’s five-year Census change.

Score = 50 + 10 × (0.35 affordability + 0.15 appreciation + 0.15 population growth + 0.10 market balance + 0.10 inventory depth + 0.15 own-versus-rent), each as a capped z-score across the ranked set. Inputs are prices, costs, incomes, growth and supply only; nothing about the people who live there. Data as of 2026-09-25; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Counties covered: Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, Lee, Manatee, Sarasota.

The top 10, in detail

1. Fort Myers, Lee County

Median asking price $235,900 across 1,293 current listings, 29% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 57 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -4.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $1,680 a month, 27% of the local median household income of $73,336; typical rent is $1,754. Prices compounded +1.6% a year over five years; the county grew +10.3% in population over five years. moving guide · market data · Lee County property tax

2. Naples, Collier County

Median asking price $425,000 across 1,833 current listings, 32% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 67 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -2.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $2,775 a month, 35% of the local median household income of $94,702; typical rent is $2,632. Prices compounded +4.2% a year over five years; the county grew +6.5% in population over five years. moving guide · market data · Collier County property tax

3. North Fort Myers, Lee County

Median asking price $154,950 across 346 current listings, 29% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 66 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -4.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $1,143 a month, 25% of the local median household income of $54,198; typical rent is $1,786. Prices compounded +1.6% a year over five years; the county grew +10.3% in population over five years. moving guide · market data · Lee County property tax

4. Parrish, Manatee County

Recorded median sale $375,000 (-6.0% year over year), 195 sales in 12 months, 3.3 months of supply (healthy market), median 53 days to contract. Owning the median costs about $2,622 a month, 30% of the local median household income of $104,258; typical rent is $2,579. Prices compounded +2.6% a year over five years; the county grew +11.3% in population over five years. moving guide · market data · Manatee County property tax

5. Bonita Springs, Lee County

Median asking price $425,250 across 405 current listings, 29% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 63 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -4.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $2,934 a month, 41% of the local median household income of $86,731; typical rent is $3,322. Prices compounded +1.6% a year over five years; the county grew +10.3% in population over five years. moving guide · market data · Lee County property tax

6. Estero, Lee County

Median asking price $324,900 across 219 current listings, 40% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 61 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -4.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $2,269 a month, 27% of the local median household income of $100,264; typical rent is $2,508. Prices compounded +1.6% a year over five years; the county grew +10.3% in population over five years. moving guide · market data · Lee County property tax

7. Bradenton, Manatee County

Median asking price $399,000 across 1,995 current listings, 10% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 51 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -3.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $2,784 a month, 49% of the local median household income of $68,030; typical rent is $1,996. Prices compounded +2.6% a year over five years; the county grew +11.3% in population over five years. moving guide · market data · Manatee County property tax

8. Ave Maria, Collier County

Median asking price $324,995 across 70 current listings, 33% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 72 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -2.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $2,153 a month, 45% of the local median household income of $57,656; typical rent is $2,739. Prices compounded +4.2% a year over five years; the county grew +6.5% in population over five years. moving guide · market data · Collier County property tax

9. Ellenton, Manatee County

Median asking price $267,250 across 98 current listings, 7% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 57 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -3.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $1,897 a month, 34% of the local median household income of $66,105; typical rent is $2,112. Prices compounded +2.6% a year over five years; the county grew +11.3% in population over five years. Manatee County property tax

10. Venice, Sarasota County

Median asking price $395,000 across 889 current listings, 10% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 43 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -2.9% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $2,656 a month, 36% of the local median household income of $87,543; typical rent is $2,374. Prices compounded +1.8% a year over five years; the county grew +8.9% in population over five years. moving guide · market data · Sarasota County property tax

Questions people ask

What is the best place to live in Southwest Florida by the numbers?

Fort Myers ranks first on our composite: $235,900 median, about $1,680 a month to own (27% of local median income), +1.6% a year appreciation over five years. The ranking is housing economics only; the right place for you also depends on commute, lifestyle and budget, which is what an agent narrows.

What is the cheapest place to live in Southwest Florida?

North Fort Myers has the lowest estimated cost to own on this list at about $1,143 a month on a $154,950 median, including the county's property tax and average insurance.

Where are home prices rising fastest in Southwest Florida?

Naples, at +4.2% a year compounded over five years; over the past twelve months it moved -2.4%.

How is this ranking calculated?

Score = 50 + 10 times a weighted sum of capped z-scores: affordability (annual cost to own the median home divided by median household income, 35%), five-year compound appreciation (15%), county population growth (15%), market balance (distance of months of supply from 5, 10%), sales volume (10%), and the gap between owning and renting (15%). Every input is printed in the table; the inputs are prices, costs, incomes, growth and supply only.

Every ranking in this series

Homes for sale in Florida by city and county · Florida city and relocation guides

Rankings are computed from the published data sources and the formula stated on this page, with no editorial scoring; the inputs are prices, costs, incomes, growth and supply, and the rankings describe housing economics, not the character of any community. Figures are as of 2026-09-25 and change as new sales record. EAB RE Investments LLC dba Momentum Realty is a licensed Florida real estate brokerage. Listing data deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Equal Housing Opportunity.