Data Analysis
The median Lee County house for sale showed a $4,160 property tax bill on November 4, 2026, about $3,470 below what the county's average rate implies at its $410,000 asking price.
2,468 of 5,618 Lee house listings showed a tax bill under half the full-value figure; new construction houses showed a median of just $789.
On November 4, 2026, the median single-family house for sale in Lee County asked $410,000 and showed a property tax bill of $4,160, or 0.91 percent of the asking price. At the county's average rate of about 15.97 mills, a bill assessed at that price would be about $6,550 before exemptions, a median gap of $3,470 a year. 2,468 of 5,618 houses with a 2025 or 2026 tax line, 44 percent, showed a bill below half of that full-value figure. The 1,126 new construction houses showed a median bill of only $789. All MLS figures are ours, computed from Florida Gulf Coast MLS records.
Lee's 2026 bills went out November 1, and on November 3 voters approved Amendment 3, which raises the non-school homestead exemption starting in 2027. Neither shows up in the seller's number on a listing. Our statewide property tax reset analysis explains the rule. Recent Lee coverage includes price cuts against contracts, million-dollar homes and Lee condos pending. Monthly figures are on the Fort Myers market data hub.
Why does a Lee County listing understate a buyer's tax bill?
Under Florida's Save Our Homes rule, a homesteaded property's assessed value can rise no more than 3 percent a year or the inflation rate, whichever is lower. Section 193.155 of the Florida Statutes resets the assessment to just value on the January 1 after a change of ownership. A long-time owner's bill reflects years of capped growth. A buyer's first full bill starts from a new assessment that usually sits near the price paid.
Lee adds a second reason. A house finished during 2025 or 2026 is often still taxed as a lot until the January 1 after it is complete, so the listed bill on new construction says little about the bill a buyer will get. Our Lee County property tax calculator uses about 15.97 mills for 2025-26, with a school share of 5.319 mills, and the Lee homestead exemption guide covers what an owner can claim.
How big is the gap for each type of home?
| Type (active listings with a 2025 or 2026 tax line) | Listings | Median asking price | Median listed tax bill | Bill as share of price | Under half of full-value bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family houses, all | 5,618 | $410,000 | $4,160 | 0.91% | 44% |
| Resale houses | 4,492 | $445,000 | $4,866 | 1.02% | 34% |
| New construction houses | 1,126 | $357,000 | $789 | 0.19% | 85% |
| Condos | 2,010 | $309,000 | $3,143 | 1.09% | 26% |
| Attached villas | 302 | $309,450 | $3,111 | 1.05% | 29% |
| Townhomes | 240 | $259,900 | $3,153 | 1.25% | 19% |
| Manufactured homes | 310 | $159,000 | $1,343 | 0.87% | 46% |
Source: Momentum Research, computed from Florida Gulf Coast MLS records, Lee County active listings, snapshot November 4, 2026. Listed tax bill is the seller's annual amount as reported on the listing. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Resale houses are the cleaner comparison. Their median bill of $4,866 on a $445,000 ask compares with a full-value figure near $7,110, and one in three showed a bill under half of it. Condos sit closer to a full-value bill because many are not homesteaded, and condo buyers also budget association fees, listed on our Lee County HOA fees by community page.
Which Lee County cities show the biggest gap?
| City (single-family) | Active with tax line | Median asking price | Median listed tax bill | Bill as share of price | Under half |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Coral | 2,003 | $411,500 | $4,862 | 1.13% | 35% |
| Lehigh Acres | 1,316 | $322,900 | $788 | 0.25% | 62% |
| Fort Myers | 1,036 | $475,000 | $4,591 | 0.93% | 39% |
| North Fort Myers | 260 | $369,945 | $3,993 | 0.92% | 42% |
| Bonita Springs | 241 | $848,000 | $7,154 | 0.78% | 51% |
| Estero | 234 | $679,000 | $7,206 | 0.99% | 35% |
| Alva | 135 | $457,884 | $5,125 | 0.98% | 36% |
| Fort Myers Beach | 113 | $1,350,000 | $9,794 | 0.72% | 56% |
| Sanibel | 95 | $1,349,000 | $11,421 | 0.89% | 40% |
Source: Momentum Research, Florida Gulf Coast MLS records, snapshot November 4, 2026. City follows the listing address. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Lehigh Acres stands apart. Its median listed bill was $788, or 0.25 percent of a $322,900 ask, because 707 of its 1,833 houses for sale are flagged as new construction and 1,219 were built in 2023 or later, many still carrying a bill for the lot alone. Cape Coral, where most houses for sale are resales, showed 1.13 percent and the smallest share under half among the larger cities. Fort Myers Beach showed 56 percent under half, a mix of long-held homestead bills and 34 houses built in 2023 or later.
Does the gap grow with price?
| House asking price | Active | In contract | Listings per contract | Bill as share of price | Under half |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $300,000 | 1,067 | 331 | 3.2 | 0.95% | 43% |
| $300,000 to $399,999 | 2,031 | 395 | 5.1 | 0.75% | 51% |
| $400,000 to $599,999 | 1,529 | 283 | 5.4 | 1.00% | 36% |
| $600,000 to $999,999 | 1,004 | 204 | 4.9 | 0.99% | 34% |
| $1 million to $1,999,999 | 529 | 67 | 7.9 | 0.79% | 50% |
| $2 million and up | 307 | 31 | 9.9 | 0.67% | 68% |
Source: Momentum Research, Florida Gulf Coast MLS records, snapshot November 4, 2026. In contract counts pending and active under contract houses. Share columns use listings with a 2025 or 2026 tax line. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
The $300,000 to $399,999 band, where builders concentrate in Lehigh Acres and Cape Coral, showed 51 percent under half. At $2 million and up, 68 percent showed a bill under half the full-value figure, and that tier had the slowest pace, 9.9 listings per contract.
What does Amendment 3 change for a Lee County buyer?
Amendment 3 raises the homestead exemption from non-school taxes from $50,000 to $150,000 on January 1, 2027, and to $250,000 in 2028. School taxes keep the $25,000 exemption. Holding today's 15.97 mills, a homesteaded buyer at the $410,000 median house price would owe about $5,880 on 2026 rules, about $4,820 on 2027 rules and about $3,750 on 2028 rules. The 2028 figure falls below the median seller's listed $4,160. At the $445,000 resale median the three figures are about $6,440, $5,380 and $4,310. Buyers who become Florida residents after December 31, 2026 wait five years for the larger exemption, and second homes and rentals get no homestead exemption. Our Amendment 3 passed guide and Amendment 3 calculator cover the timeline. Local governments can raise millage, which these estimates do not assume.
What does this mean for buyers and sellers?
For buyers, set the tax budget from the price you expect to pay, subtract any homestead exemption you will qualify for, and add special assessments the listing may not show, using our Florida property tax calculator. On a new house, ask the builder for the estimated first full-year bill rather than relying on the listed amount. For sellers, a buyer's lender escrows taxes on the new assessment, so the monthly cost of your house to the next owner is higher than your own bill suggests. Monthly pace is in our Gulf Coast Market Pulse.
People also ask
What is the property tax rate in Lee County?
About 15.97 mills for 2025-26 as a county average, or about 1.6 percent of taxable value, of which 5.319 mills is the school levy. City and special district levies vary.
Why is the property tax on a Lee County listing lower than what I will pay?
The seller's bill reflects years of Save Our Homes caps, and a new house is often still taxed as a lot. The assessment resets to market value on the January 1 after a sale. On November 4, 2026, 44 percent of Lee house listings showed a bill under half the full-value figure at the asking price.
Does Amendment 3 lower taxes on a house I buy in Lee County?
If you homestead it and already qualify as a Florida resident, the non-school exemption rises to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028. At the $410,000 median house price that is about $1,060 less in 2027 and $2,130 less in 2028 at today's rates.
Limitations
Tax amounts are entered on each listing and can be incomplete or out of date; listings without a 2025 or 2026 tax amount, listings under $50,000 and amounts above 6 percent of price are excluded. The full-value and homestead estimates use one county average rate and ignore non-ad valorem assessments, community development district levies and city differences; actual bills are set by the Lee County Property Appraiser and Tax Collector. Amendment 3 results are unofficial until certified, and the estimates hold tax rates unchanged. This is a live snapshot of Florida Gulf Coast MLS records and can differ from monthly inventory counts. Nothing here is tax or legal advice.
Sources
- Momentum Research, computed from Florida Gulf Coast MLS records, Lee County active and in-contract listings, snapshot November 4, 2026. Information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed by the MLS to be accurate.
- Florida Statutes, section 193.155 (homestead assessment limit and change of ownership).
- Lee County 2025-26 millage and the adopted Lee County School District school millage, as used in our Lee County property tax calculator.
- Amendment 3 (CS/HJR 1F) terms and unofficial result, as summarized in our Amendment 3 passed guide.
Disclosure: Jon Brooks is a co-founder of Momentum Realty, a Florida real estate brokerage that owns and funds Florida Housing Intelligence. Momentum has a financial interest in Florida real estate transactions, including in markets named here. See our editorial standards.
Market statistics in this article are computed from MLS data licensed by Momentum Realty, and are current as of the date shown. Data may be preliminary and subject to revision by its source. This article is general information, not advice about any specific property, transaction, or financial decision, and is not a representation about any specific property, community, builder, or association.
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