Located near Fort Myers on the Gulf of Mexico in Southwest Florida, Cape Coral is on a large peninsula and is in the Cape Coral-Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area.

This friendly and beautiful city was founded in 1957 as a planned community and was incorporated in 1970. It's the largest city between Miami and Tampa and the state's third-largest city by acreage.

Airports

The city is only 14 miles from the Southwest Florida International Airport, which serves close to eight million passengers each year. Page Field is a general aviation airport only eight miles away, and Charlotte County Airport is just 10 miles north.

Population

The official Census in 2010 showed the population to be 173,468. That has grown to an estimate in 2018 of 189,343.

Real Estate

The city covers 119.39 square miles comprised of 105.95 square miles of land and 13.44 square miles of water. According to Zillow's data through September 30, 2019, the median home value is $230,000. The median rent price is $1,595, which is lower than the Metro median of $1,700.

Education

Two of the best schools are Gulf Elementary School (Grades PK-5) and Christa McAulliffe Charter Elementary School (Grades PK-5), both of which have a rating of “8”. The Lee County School District consistently expands its public and private school systems with high-performance standards.

The City has created a municipal charter system of two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school that use the Core Knowledge and Cambridge Curricula. Being public, there's no tuition, but the schools are available only to the local children.

Among the universities and colleges serving the area is the main campus of Florida SouthWestern State College, which is immediately east in Fort Myers. It offers associate and bachelor's degrees plus technical training.

The Florida Gulf Coast University nearby in Fort Myers has a Cape Coral satellite that offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees, an executive master's program, and a college of business, biotechnology, and engineering programs. The Cape Coral Technical College provides training in computer, medical, and food-science fields.

Related content: Enjoy These Perks When You Live in Fort Myers

Attractions

Residents and visitors can swim, fish, boat, and take part in many water sports on its beaches and in over 400 miles of canals. “Landlubbers” can golf, play tennis, explore parks and nature preserves, shop, and go to various attractions.

The Cultural Park Theater is a performing arts facility with 187 seats that's home to local actors. Additionally, there are several regional arts and performance venues including the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall.

The Cape Coral Historical Museum is a showcase of exhibits showing the town’s past and is beautified by rose gardens.

The Cape Coral Yacht Club Park offers swimming at the pool and beach, boating, fishing, and more. It's the site for the annual lighted Christmas boat parade, which was one of the area’s first when it started in 1977.

Related content: Family-Friendly Attractions in Fort Myers

Contact Effective Agents for recommendations of the best realtors® in Cape Coral and the surrounding areas. They can help you find the perfect top-selling realtor® to show you the available properties and neighborhoods that you would find to be ideal for your desires, needs, and budget.

Find more housing in Fort Myers and other real estate news by registering on 239area, your free guide to the Fort Myers area.

Cover photo courtesy of Flickr- dconvertini