Moving to Fort Myers, Florida

A practical city guide for deciding whether Fort Myers fits your life, planning the move, and settling in with fewer surprises.

Moving to Fort Myers, Florida? Start with the local context that changes a relocation decision in Lee County. With roughly 95,000 residents, Fort Myers sits in Southwest Florida. Locally it's known as the gateway to Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach — strong rebuilding momentum after Hurricane Ian's 2022 direct hit on Lee County. For relocators it's still cheaper than Naples while sharing the same Paradise Coast weather — popular with retirees and remote workers. Climate: tropical Gulf Coast — the warmest winters on the peninsula, dry season November through April, intense afternoon storms June through October. Before choosing a home, pay attention to major Gulf hurricanes (Ian 2022 hit Lee + Charlotte counties hardest), king tide flooding, brackish water intrusion in older wells. Local areas to put on your research list include Downtown River District, McGregor, Iona. Use the guides, comparison tools, apartment research, and hurricane profile below before you narrow the move to an address.