Lee County, Florida Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Lee County is located in Florida with a total population of 817,666. It is the 8th most populous county out of 67 in Florida. The county encompasses 39 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lee County is 49.0 years. This is 15% higher than the state median of 42.6 years. 13.8% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Lee County is $76,107. This is 2% higher than the state median of $74,568. It is also 6% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.0%. This is 5% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate is 4.0%. This is 17% lower than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $362,200. Housing costs are about the same as the state median of $359,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.8x. 74.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 67.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Lee County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 62.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 24.7%.

Education

31.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 9% lower than the state rate of 34.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Lee County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Florida and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.