Best Places to Live in Southwest Florida

Ranked by the numbers, the top 10 are Naples ($425,000 median), Fort Myers ($239,000 median), North Fort Myers ($150,000 median), Parrish ($375,000 median), Bonita Springs ($442,250 median), Estero ($325,000 median), Bradenton ($398,000 median), Ellenton ($239,000 median), Ave Maria ($313,445 median), Venice ($395,000 median). 31 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.

31 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. Naples Collier · list-based	55.5	$425,000	$2,775	35%	+4.2%	+6.5%	29% pending	1,961
2. Fort Myers Lee · list-based	55.0	$239,000	$1,700	28%	+1.6%	+10.3%	28% pending	1,336
3. North Fort Myers Lee · list-based	54.4	$150,000	$1,111	25%	+1.6%	+10.3%	29% pending	354
4. Parrish Manatee	54.0	$375,000	$2,622	30%	+2.6%	+11.3%	3.3	795
5. Bonita Springs Lee · list-based	53.9	$442,250	$3,047	30%	+1.6%	+10.3%	26% pending	450
6. Estero Lee · list-based	52.6	$325,000	$2,270	27%	+1.6%	+10.3%	36% pending	248
7. Bradenton Manatee · list-based	52.1	$398,000	$2,777	49%	+2.6%	+11.3%	9% pending	2,089
8. Ellenton Manatee · list-based	52.0	$239,000	$1,706	31%	+2.6%	+11.3%	7% pending	97
9. Ave Maria Collier · list-based	51.7	$313,445	$2,081	43%	+4.2%	+6.5%	33% pending	70
10. Venice Sarasota · list-based	51.2	$395,000	$2,656	36%	+1.8%	+8.9%	10% pending	925
11. North Port Sarasota · list-based	50.9	$334,900	$2,271	36%	+1.8%	+8.9%	8% pending	958
12. Palmetto Manatee · list-based	50.9	$399,999	$2,791	45%	+2.6%	+11.3%	14% pending	501
13. Lakewood Ranch Manatee · list-based	50.5	$603,990	$4,165	42%	+2.6%	+11.3%	18% pending	305
14. Port Charlotte Charlotte · list-based	50.4	$323,000	$2,287	39%	+0.2%	+10.2%	7% pending	1,417
15. Punta Gorda Charlotte · list-based	50.4	$330,000	$2,334	38%	+0.2%	+10.2%	10% pending	1,046
16. Sarasota Sarasota · list-based	50.1	$549,000	$3,645	54%	+1.8%	+8.9%	13% pending	2,637
17. Marco Island Collier · list-based	50.1	$663,950	$4,260	49%	+4.2%	+6.5%	19% pending	254
18. Englewood Charlotte · list-based	49.6	$350,000	$2,468	42%	+1.8%	+8.9%	7% pending	510
19. Sanibel Lee · list-based	48.9	$749,000	$5,080	50%	+1.6%	+10.3%	18% pending	113
20. Cape Coral Lee · list-based	48.8	$325,000	$2,270	36%	+1.6%	+10.3%	56% pending	500
21. Nokomis Sarasota · list-based	48.5	$535,000	$3,555	50%	+1.8%	+8.9%	18% pending	279
22. Fort Myers Beach Lee · list-based	48.1	$527,450	$3,612	54%	+1.6%	+10.3%	8% pending	242
23. Lehigh Acres Lee · list-based	47.9	$303,990	$2,131	39%	+1.6%	+10.3%	67% pending	172
24. Arcadia DeSoto · list-based	47.8	$312,500	$2,224	56%	—	—	6% pending	134
25. Rotonda West Charlotte · list-based	47.5	$384,600	$2,700	44%	+0.2%	+10.2%	5% pending	206

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 2026-10-15; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

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

The top 10, in detail

1. Naples, Collier County

Median asking price $425,000 across 1,961 current listings, 29% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 58 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

2. Fort Myers, Lee County

Median asking price $239,000 across 1,336 current listings, 28% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 53 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -4.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $1,700 a month, 28% 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

3. North Fort Myers, Lee County

Median asking price $150,000 across 354 current listings, 29% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 69 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -4.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $1,111 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 $442,250 across 450 current listings, 26% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 50 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -4.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $3,047 a month, 30% of the local median household income of $122,102; 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 $325,000 across 248 current listings, 36% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 51 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -4.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $2,270 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 $398,000 across 2,089 current listings, 9% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 49 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -3.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $2,777 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. Ellenton, Manatee County

Median asking price $239,000 across 97 current listings, 7% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 50 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -3.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $1,706 a month, 31% 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

9. Ave Maria, Collier County

Median asking price $313,445 across 70 current listings, 33% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 86 days on market; the county's Zillow index moved -2.4% over the past year. Owning the median costs about $2,081 a month, 43% 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

10. Venice, Sarasota County

Median asking price $395,000 across 925 current listings, 10% of active-plus-pending under contract, median 36 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?

Naples ranks first on our composite: $425,000 median, about $2,775 a month to own (35% of local median income), +4.2% 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 $1,111 a month on a $150,000 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 2026-10-15 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.