Lee County, Florida

Lee County
Base Operations at Page Field
Base Operations at Page Field
Flag of Lee County
Official seal of Lee County
Map of Florida highlighting Lee County
Location within the U.S. state of Florida
Map of the United States highlighting Florida
Florida's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 26°35′N 81°55′W / 26.58°N 81.92°W / 26.58; -81.92
Country United States
State Florida
FoundedMay 13, 1887
Named forRobert E. Lee
SeatFort Myers
Largest cityCape Coral
Area
 • Total1,212 sq mi (3,140 km2)
 • Land785 sq mi (2,030 km2)
 • Water428 sq mi (1,110 km2)  35.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total760,822[1]
 • Density969.2/sq mi (374.2/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts17th, 19th
Websitewww.leegov.com

Lee County is a county located in southwestern Florida, United States, on the Gulf Coast. As of the 2020 census, its population was 760,822. In 2022, the population was 822,453, making it the eighth-most populous county in the state.[2] The county seat is Fort Myers, with a population of 86,395 as of the 2020 census,[3] and the largest city is Cape Coral, with an estimated 2020 population of 194,016.

The county comprises the Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which, along with the Naples-Marco Island (Collier County) MSA and the Clewiston (Hendry County, Glades County) Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA), is included in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers-Naples Combined Statistical Area (CSA).[4]

Lee County was established in 1887 from Monroe County.[5] Fort Myers is the county seat and a center of tourism in Southwest Florida. It is about 120 miles (190 km) south of Tampa at the meeting point of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caloosahatchee River.[6] Lee County is the home for spring training of the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball teams.

  1. ^ "Quickfacts Lee County". U.S. Census Bureau. July 1, 2021. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  2. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Lee County, Florida". www.census.gov. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  3. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  4. ^ "Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Guidance on the Uses of the Delineations of These Areas" (PDF). Executive Office of the President. July 21, 2023. pp. 47, 129. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  5. ^ Publications of the Florida Historical Society. Florida Historical Society. 1908. p. 32.
  6. ^ Jane Colihan Archived June 1, 2009, at the Wayback Machine "Spring Break", American Heritage, February/March 2006