Hurricanes, humidity, and Prime-Time Neon Deion be damned! You are moving to Fort Myers, Florida, a large, Gulf Coast city with resort roots. Now let’s get started on your apartment search so you’ll be ready for the next Category 4 to make landfall.
It’s no wonder that Fort Myers, with its plentiful outdoor activities, beautiful views and tropical temperatures, developed largely as a resort city for wealthy snowbirds
Hurricanes, humidity, and Prime-Time Neon Deion be damned! You are moving to Fort Myers, Florida, a large, Gulf Coast city with resort roots. Now let’s get started on your apartment search so you’ll be ready for the next Category 4 to make landfall.
It’s no wonder that Fort Myers, with its plentiful outdoor activities, beautiful views and tropical temperatures, developed largely as a resort city for wealthy snowbirds. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford summered here! Living in Fort Myers will put you close to both river recreation and ocean enjoyment. Not bad, huh?
Downtown Fort Myers straddles the Caloosahatchee River. This area, like many metropolitan areas has undergone a series of large-scale urban renewal projects to draw in urban residents. In addition to the shopping, restaurants and nightlife recently installed in the historic downtown, the waterfront area provides even more outdoor recreation with walks and parks along the scenic river.
You can’t talk about Fort Myers without talking about the weather. You’ll pay for your pleasantly warm and mild winters with extremely hot and humid summers, when afternoon thunderstorms happen almost daily. Oh yeah, and don’t forget about hurricane season.
Fort Myers is a decently large city, and the metropolitan area is even larger. With a large population and dense urban area, come higher crime rates. But, the dangerous areas in Fort Myers are well defined and pretty easy to avoid.
Downtown
Let’s start downtown. As previously mentioned, there’s been a lot of redevelopment in the downtown area, and you can find a lot of great apartments and condos here. The downtown Fort Myers and Tamiami Trail area is also where you’ll find the best nightlife and restaurants in town (try the Wisteria Tea Room for a sublime afternoon experience). A little market even opened up here, so you’ll be able to go grocery shopping. However, downtown Fort Myers is surrounded by areas that are generally not well regarded. If you’re dead set on living a downtown lifestyle, stay in new construction, particularly on and around First Street, and avoid the less developed areas surrounding your apartment. Two bedrooms here generally range from $1000-1150.
North & South
So, you don’t want to live downtown. I hear you! The hustle and bustle and the proximity to some shady areas is not for you. And generally, you’ll get more bang for your buck away from the waterfront.
Now, let’s talk about north versus south. Not only are north and south Fort Myers characteristically different from each other, they are also separated by the broad expanse of the Caloosahatchee River. In general, North Fort Myers, the area across the river from downtown, is not as well-regarded overall as the rest of the city. However, you can find some safe and desirable neighborhoods in the north, you’ll just have to look harder. Two bedrooms here generally range from $600-750.
Fort Myers, south of the Tamiami Trail, also has some mixed reviews in terms of neighborhoods. Outside of downtown, the most desirable neighborhoods tend to be on the southwest waterfront area, particularly anything south of Colonial Boulevard, in the McGregor and Whiskey Creek neighborhoods. Two bedrooms here generally range from $800-950.
Avoid the areas north of Colonial Boulevard and west of Interstate 75 as much as possible, as these areas are considered some of the more dangerous parts of town. However, just east of Interstate 75 there are some great and safe neighborhoods with rentals. The far southeast portions of Fort Myers have a lot in the way of new development, which means better-maintained rentals. Two bedrooms here generally go for $750-900.
Even though Fort Myers developed as a winter retreat, the installation of industry has given it a homey, residential feel. That means there are plenty of rentals available for long-term or future long-term residents.
However, just to be safe, try to start your apartment search in the off-season, during the late spring and early summer. During this time, the dearth of vacation renters drives prices down, and there will be more options available, particularly if you’re looking for waterfront property.
Flexible lease options are pretty common in the city, but many management companies will give you move-in specials and lower rental rates if you commit for the long-term. Background check and credit fees generally range from $25-50.
The rush hour commute in Fort Myers will be a big part of your new southeast Florida lifestyle. Because Fort Myers is so close to other metropolitan areas, there will be a lot of traffic in and out of downtown. Additionally, traffic over the bridges into North Fort Myers and Cape Coral can be a major headache. Most Fort Myers residents recommend living on the same side of the river as your employer, but if this is impossible, allow extra time for traveling, particularly from 6:30 to 9:00 in the morning and 4:30 to 7:00 in the evening.
LeeTran operates several fixed route bus lines and a beach trolley throughout Fort Myers and surrounding Lee County towns. Buses operate from 5:00 in the morning to 10:00 in the evening, with reduced service on weekends and holidays.
The Boston Red Sox make their Spring Home in Fort Meyers. This is a blessing for Sawx fans, and for local business. For traffic, accessibility, and general calm, not so much.
The representation of ethnic minorities in Fort Myers is higher than the national average. The eight main ethnic groups that make up the population of Fort Myers are White (44.1%), Hispanic Or Latino (25.9%), Black Or African American (22.3%), Two Or More (4%), Asian (2.4%), Other (1.1%), American Indian Or Alaska Native (0.1%), and Native Hawaiian Or Other Pacific Islander (0%).
The representation of ethnic minorities in Fort Myers is higher than the national average. The eight main ethnic groups that make up the population of Fort Myers are White (44.1%), Hispanic Or Latino (25.9%), Black Or African American (22.3%), Two Or More (4%), Asian (2.4%), Other (1.1%), American Indian Or Alaska Native (0.1%), and Native Hawaiian Or Other Pacific Islander (0%).
Apartment List has released the results for Fort Myers from the third annual Apartment List Renter Satisfaction Survey. This survey, which drew on responses from over 45,000 renters nationwide, provides insight on what states and cities must do to meet the needs of the country’s 111 million renters.
These Fort Myers neighborhoods are insanely popular right now! Renters are hunting down properties in these places.
Located on the Gulf Coast, Fort Myers is one of the best places to live in Florida, offering access to some of the state’s most beautiful beaches. It’s the 25th-most populous city in Florida and is known for its rich cultural diversity.
Fort Myers Beach is a short drive from downtown and close to the Captiva and Sanibel Islands. For outdoor enthusiasts, the area offers scenic spaces like the famous Lakes Park and the Caloosahatchee River — ideal for hiking, picnicking, and canoeing. If you’re considering moving to Florida, this is a top destination for staying connected to nature.
The city is also home to many historic landmarks and lively events. You can visit the winter estates of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, now functioning as museums and historical sites in downtown Fort Myers, or attend the annual ArtFest.
If you’re looking for apartment complexes in Fort Myers, skip typing “apartments for rent near me” into Google. Instead, download the Apartment List app from Google Play or the App Store and take our Renter Quiz. Answer a few questions, and we’ll curate a list of Fort Myers rentals that suit your needs, including budget, amenities, and preferred neighborhoods.
Whether you want a place near the beach or a condo in the bustling downtown, Apartment List will locate rental apartments in Fort Myers that perfectly meet your criteria. We make apartment hunting more efficient and enjoyable, so you can find your ideal home in a few swipes. With personalized listings and real-time updates, finding places for rent in Fort Myers has never been easier.
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Florida’s cost of living is lower than the national average, making it an excellent choice for people seeking a high-quality yet affordable lifestyle. Even the state’s major cities, like Tampa and Jacksonville, are economical options.
Fort Myers is one of the cheapest places to live in Florida, with a median rent of $1,306 and numerous rentals available at reasonable prices. Here’s what you can expect to pay based on unit type:
Welcome to the Apartment List December 2024 Rent Report for Fort Myers, FL. Currently, the overall median rent in the city stands at $1,300, after falling 0.6% last month. Prices are now down 7.7% year-over-year. Read on to learn more about what’s been happening in the Fort Myers rental market and how it compares to trends throughout the nation as a whole.
The median rent in Fort Myers fell by 0.6% over the course of November, and has now decreased by a total of 7.7% over the past 12 months. Fort Myers’s rent growth over the past year has has fallen behind both the state (-1.4%) and national averages (-0.6%).
Eleven months into the year, rents in Fort Myers have fallen 5.0%. This is a faster rate of growth compared to what the city was experiencing at this point last year: from January to November 2023 rents had decreased 8.9%.
Apartment List is committed to the accuracy and transparency of our rent estimates. We begin with reliable median rent statistics from the Census Bureau, then extrapolate them forward to the current month using a growth rate calculated from our listing data. In doing so, we use a same-unit analysis similar to Case-Shiller’s approach, capturing apartment transactions over time to provide an accurate picture of rent growth in cities across the country. Our approach corrects for the sample bias inherent in other private sources, producing results that are much closer to statistics published by the Census Bureau and HUD. For more details, please see the Apartment List Rent Estimate Methodology.
Apartment List publishes monthly rent reports and underlying data for hundreds of cities across the nation, as well as data aggregated for counties, metros, and states. These data are intended to be a source of reliable information that help renters and policymakers make sound decisions. Insights from our data are covered regularly by journalists across the country. To access the data yourself, please visit our Data Downloads Page.
Welcome to the Apartment List December 2024 Rent Report for Fort Myers, FL. Currently, the overall median rent in the city stands at $1,300, after falling 0.6% last month. Prices are now down 7.7% year-over-year. Read on to learn more about what’s been happening in the Fort Myers rental market and how it compares to trends throughout the nation as a whole.
Apartment List has released Fort Myers’ results from the third annual Apartment List Renter Satisfaction Survey. This survey, which drew on responses from over 45,000 renters nationwide, provides insight on what states and cities must do to meet the needs of the country’s 111 million renters.
"Fort Myers renters expressed general satisfaction with the city overall," according to Apartment List. "They gave most categories near-average scores."
Key Findings in Fort Myers include the following:
Fort Myers renters gave their city a B- overall.
The highest-rated categories for Fort Myers were state and local taxes (B+) and safety and low crime rate (B).
The areas of concern to Fort Myers renters are recreational activities (F), social life (D), public transit (D), commute time (D), affordability (D) and jobs and career opportunities (D).
Fort Myers earned similar scores compared to other cities in Florida like Miami (C+), Jacksonville (B-), Orlando (C) and Tampa (B).
Fort Myers did relatively well compared to cities nationwide, including Los Angeles (C+), Tucson (D) and Philadelphia (C+).
The top rated cities nationwide for renter satisfaction include Scottsdale, AZ, Irvine, CA, Boulder, CO and Ann Arbor, MI. The lowest rated cities include Tallahassee, FL, Stockton, CA, Dayton, OH, Detroit, MI and Newark, NJ.
For more information on the survey methodology and findings or to speak to one of our researchers, please contact our team at rentonomics@apartmentlist.com.
Hurricanes, humidity, and Prime-Time Neon Deion be damned! You are moving to Fort Myers, Florida, a large, Gulf Coast city with resort roots. Now let’s get started on your apartment search so you’ll be ready for the next Category 4 to make landfall.
It’s no wonder that Fort Myers, with its plentiful outdoor activities, beautiful views and tropical temperatures, developed largely as a resort city for wealthy snowbirds
View Fort Myers City Guide
