Demographics

Population
The 2006 population of Lee County was estimated at 571,344. This represents a 28.7 Percent increase from 2000.
(Florida: Value: 337 Persons/Sq Mile )Persons per Square Mile
Lee County, Florida
Population and Housing Narrative Profile: 2005
Data Set: 2005 American Community Survey
Survey: 2005 American Community Survey
Demographic - Sex and Age, Race, Relationship, Household by Type
Social - Education, Marital Status, Fertility, Grandparents...
Economic - Income, Employment, Occupation, Commuting to Work...
Housing - Occupancy and Structure, Housing Value and Costs, Utilities...
NOTE. Data are limited to the household population and exclude the population living in institutions, college dormitories, and other group quarters. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, non-sampling error, and definitions, see Survey Methodology.
POPULATION OF Lee County: In 2005, Lee County had a household population of 539,000 - 273,000 (51 percent) females and 266,000 (49 percent) males. The median age was 43 years. Twenty-one percent of the population were under 18 years and 22 percent were 65 years and older.
The Age Distribution of People in Lee County, Florida in 2005

	65 and over	22%
	45 to 64	25%
	25 to 44	25%
	18 to 24	7%
	Under 18	21%

Percent of population
Source: American Community Survey, 2005
For people reporting one race alone, 86 percent were White; 7 percent were Black or African American; less than 0.5 percent were American Indian and Alaska Native; 1 percent were Asian; less than 0.5 percent were Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and 5 percent were Some other race. One percent reported Two or more races. Fourteen percent of the people in Lee County were Hispanic. Seventy-six percent of the people in Lee County were White non-Hispanic. People of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES: In 2005 there were 235,000 households in Lee County. The average household size was 2.3 people.
Families made up 67 percent of the households in Lee County. This figure includes both married-couple families (53 percent) and other families (14 percent). Nonfamily households made up 33 percent of all households in Lee County. Most of the nonfamily households were people living alone, but some were comprised of people living in households in which no one was related to the householder.
The Types of Households in Lee County, Florida in 2005

	Married-couple families	53%
	Other families	14%
	People living alone	26%
	Other nonfamily households	7%

Percent of households
Source: American Community Survey, 2005
NATIVITY AND LANGUAGE: Thirteen percent of the people living in Lee County in 2005 were foreign born. Eighty-seven percent were native , including 23 percent who were born in Florida.
Among people at least five years old living in Lee County in 2005, 18 percent spoke a language other than English at home. Of those speaking a language other than English at home, 70 percent spoke Spanish and 30 percent spoke some other language; 52 percent reported that they did not speak English "very well."
GEOGRAPHIC MOBILITY: In 2005, 80 percent of the people at least one year old living in Lee County were living in the same residence one year earlier; 11 percent had moved during the past year from another residence in the same county, 2 percent from another county in the same state, 6 percent from another state, and 1 percent from abroad.
Geographic Mobility of Residents of Lee County, Florida in 2005

	Same residence	80%
	Different residence, same county	11%
	Different county, same state	2%
	Different state	6%
	Abroad	1%

Percent of people 1 year and over
Source: American Community Survey, 2005
EDUCATION: In 2005, 85 percent of people 25 years and over had at least graduated from high school and 24 percent had a bachelor's degree or higher. Among people 16 to 19 years old, 9 percent were dropouts; they were not enrolled in school and had not graduated from high school.
The total school enrollment in Lee County was 103,000 in 2005. Nursery school and kindergarten enrollment was 12,000 and elementary or high school enrollment was 73,000 children. College or graduate school enrollment was 17,000.
The Educational Attainment of People in Lee County, Florida in 2005

	Graduate or professional degree	9%
	Bachelor's degree	15%
	Associate's degree	7%
	Some college, no degree	22%
	High school diploma or equivalency	33%
	Less than high school diploma	15%

Percent of people 25 years and over
Source: American Community Survey, 2005
DISABILITY: In Lee County, among people at least five years old in 2005, 15 percent reported a disability. The likelihood of having a disability varied by age - from 6 percent of people 5 to 20 years old, to 12 percent of people 21 to 64 years old, and to 31 percent of those 65 and older.
POVERTY AND PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS: In 2005, 9 percent of people were in poverty. Sixteen percent of related children under 18 were below the poverty level, compared with 7 percent of people 65 years old and over. Seven percent of all families and 23 percent of families with a female householder and no husband present had incomes below the poverty level.
Poverty Rates in Lee County, Florida in 2005

	People age 65 and over	7%
	All children under 18 years	16%
	All families	7%
	Female householder families	23%

Percent below poverty level
Source: American Community Survey, 2005
HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS: In 2005, Lee County had a total of 313,000 housing units, 25 percent of which were vacant. Of the total housing units, 56 percent were in single-unit structures, 31 percent were in multi-unit structures, and 13 percent were mobile homes. Forty-two percent of the housing units were built since 1990.

The Types of Housing Units in Lee County, Florida in 2005

	Single-unit structures	56%
	In multi-unit structures	31%
	Mobile homes	13%

Percent of housing units
Source: American Community Survey, 2005
OCCUPIED HOUSING UNIT CHARACTERISTICS: In 2005, Lee County had 235,000 occupied housing units - 172,000 (73 percent) owner occupied and 63,000 (27 percent) renter occupied. Three percent of the households did not have telephone service and 4 percent of the households did not have access to a car, truck, or van for private use. Multi Vehicle households were not rare. Forty-one percent had two vehicles and another 12 percent had three or more.
HOUSING COSTS: The median monthly housing costs for mortgaged owners was $1,265, nonmortgaged owners $452, and renters $873. Forty percent of owners with mortgages, 17 percent of owners without mortgages, and 46 percent of renters in Lee County spent 30 percent or more of household income on housing.

Occupants with a Housing Cost Burden in Lee County, Florida in 2005

	Owners with mortgage	40%
	Owners without mortgage	17%
	Renters	46%

 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005 American Community Survey

Explanation of Symbols:
'***' - The median falls in the lowest interval or upper interval of an open-ended distribution. A statistical test is not appropriate.
'*****' - The estimate is controlled. A statistical test for sampling variability is not appropriate.
'N' - Data for this geographic area cannot be displayed because the number of sample cases is too small.
'(X)' - The value is not applicable or not available.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2006 Population Estimates, Census 2000, 1990 Census