» Fort Myers: 68,819 (up 35% since 2000)

» Lee County: 615,124, with slightly more than half in unincorporated areas

» Cape Coral: 162,852

» Bonita Springs: 46,425

» Fort Myers Beach: 6,919

» Sanibel: 6,329

» White, non-Hispanic: 41% in the city; 72.6% in the county

» African-American: 35% city; 8% county

» Hispanic: 17% city; 17.4% county

» Fort Myers’ residents are more than six years younger than the state median age, while residents of the county overall are about six years older. Compared with statewide averages, city and county residents are more likely to have been born in the U.S. Residents of the city are more likely to have dropped out of school and less likely to have a bachelor’s degree or higher. City residents are more likely to be lower income than the average Floridian, while county residents are less likely to live in poverty.

» Most new residents to Lee County move from nearby Collier, Miami-Dade and Broward. Residents of Fort Myers are more likely to have moved from another residence in the county in the past year.

» Lee County voters are largely Republican, with 153,653 registered as Republicans, 105,320 as Democrats, and 83,805 as other. The McCain/Palin ticket won the 2008 presidential election in Lee County, 54.7% to 44.3% for Obama/Biden.