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Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is a city located in Lee County,
Florida. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population
of 48,208. It is the county seat of Lee County.
Established in 1886, Fort Myers is the historical and governmental
hub of Lee County. It is the gateway to the Southwest Florida region,
which is a major tourist destination in Florida, as well as being
a popular place to live for retirees. The winter homes of Thomas
Edison (Seminole Lodge) and Henry Ford (The Mangoes), which are
both primary tourist attractions in the region, are located on McGregor
Boulevard in Fort Myers.
The Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) is located just
outside of Fort Myers, and serves much of Lee County, as well as
neighboring Charlotte and Collier counties.
Fort Myers Interesting Facts
The first known resident of Fort Myers was Manuel Gonzalez, a Cuban
immigrant who settled there in the 19th century.
Fort Myers High School, an International Baccalaureate school,
was ranked as one of the best schools in the nation by Newsweek
magazine.
On August 13, 2004, Fort Myers was hit hard by Hurricane Charley,
a Category 4 hurricane that made landfall north of the area.
Fort Myers Geography
Fort Myers is located at 26°37'54" North, 81°51'26"
West (26.631750, -81.857096)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total
area of 104.7 km² (40.4 mi²). 82.4 km² (31.8 mi²)
of it is land and 22.2 km² (8.6 mi²) of it is water. The
total area is 21.25% water.
Fort Myers Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 48,208 people, 19,107 households,
and 10,738 families residing in the city. The population density
is 584.8/km² (1,514.6/mi²). There are 21,836 housing units
at an average density of 264.9/km² (686.1/mi²). The racial
makeup of the city is 56.35% White, 33.39% African American, 0.38%
Native American, 0.98% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 5.69% from
other races, and 3.11% from two or more races. 14.49% of the population
are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 19,107 households out of which 28.9% have children under
the age of 18 living with them, 32.3% are married couples living
together, 18.4% have a female householder with no husband present,
and 43.8% are non-families. 33.8% of all households are made up
of individuals and 12.5% have someone living alone who is 65 years
of age or older. The average household size is 2.40 and the average
family size is 3.10.
In the city the population is spread out with 26.3% under the age
of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to
64, and 14.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is
32 years. For every 100 females there are 97.6 males. For every
100 females age 18 and over, there are 95.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $28,514, and the
median income for a family is $32,477. Males have a median income
of $26,292 versus $20,529 for females. The per capita income for
the city is $17,312. 21.8% of the population and 18.1% of families
are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 32.3% of
those under the age of 18 and 13.6% of those 65 and older are living
below the poverty line.
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