Cape Coral is a city in
Lee County, Florida
Lee County is 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. The county seat ...
, United States, on the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...
. Founded in 1957, the city's population had grown to 194,016 as of the
2020 census, a 26% increase from 154,309 at the 2010 census, making it the
ninth-most populous city in Florida. With an area of , Cape Coral is the largest city between
Tampa
Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
and
Miami
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
in both population and area. It is the largest and principal city in the
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city has over of navigable waterways, more than any other city on earth.
History
The original inhabitants around the Cape Coral area were the
Calusa. After Florida became a state in 1845, multiple pioneers started selling and buying land in what is now Cape Coral under the
Homestead Act
The Homestead Acts were several laws in the United States by which an applicant could acquire ownership of Federal lands, government land or the American frontier, public domain, typically called a Homestead (buildings), homestead. In all, mo ...
. Cape Coral's modern history began in 1957 when two brothers from
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...
, Leonard and Jack Rosen, flew over the peninsula known as Redfish Point, across the
Caloosahatchee River
The Caloosahatchee River is a river on the southwest Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of Florida in the United States, approximately long.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National ...
near present-day
Fort Myers. The brothers, who were real estate developers, purchased a tract with a small group of partners for $678,000 and in 1958 began development of the city as a planned community.
The
Gulf American Land Corporation (GALC) was formed to develop the area. GALC developed a marketing model that was a departure from traditional selling methods. Approval was secured from Lee County to master-plan the entire property into lots. Instead of listing the lots with real estate agents, GALC developed the land sales, dinner-party model, operating from banquet rooms in local hotels. People were invited to attend by offering a free dinner for two. The model, referred to as team-selling, allowed for a well-trained team to close deals in 90 minutes. Buyers would sign a contract and agree to come to the property within six months and cancel if not satisfied. Ezio Valentini, an Italian real estate developer, joined GALC and became director of sales. The program was so successful that offices were opened in 24 states, and an arrangement was made with an airline to charter flights to fly buyers to the property.
Instead of borrowing from banks and lenders, the developers
factored the sales contracts to pay for building the infrastructure.
Canal
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface ...
s were dug (without first obtaining state permits, an omission which later bankrupted GALC)), streets paved, houses and businesses built. Cape Coral was promoted like no other Florida development. Celebrities were brought in to tout the benefits of "the Cape", as it is known locally. The first building in Cape Coral was the Rosens' sales office. It was built where George's Auto now stands, at Cape Coral and Coronado Parkways.
Cape Coral's first permanent resident was Kenny Schwartz, the Rosens' general manager. Cape Coral's first four homes were completed in May 1958, on Riverside and Flamingo Drives.
Development continued through the early 1960s, mostly on Redfish Point, south of Cape Coral Parkway. By 1963, the population was 2,850; 1,300 buildings had been finished or were under construction; of road had been built, and of canals had been dug. The public yacht club, a golf course, medical clinic and shopping center were up and running. A major addition for Cape Coral was the construction of the long
Cape Coral Bridge across the Caloosahatchee River, which opened in early 1964. Before the bridge, a trip to Fort Myers was more than via Del Prado Boulevard and over the
Edison Bridge to cross the river.
The city incorporated on August 18, 1970,
and its population continued to grow rapidly until the real estate slowdown that gripped the region beginning in 2008. On September 28, 2022, Cape Coral suffered major damage when
Hurricane Ian made landfall nearby.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (9%) is water.
Cape Coral is a large
peninsula
A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is only connected to land on one side. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula.
Etymology
The word ''peninsula'' derives , . T ...
and is bordered in the south and east by the Caloosahatchee River and in the west by Matlacha Pass. Fort Myers lies across the Caloosahatchee River to the east, and
Matlacha and
Pine Island lie across Matlacha Pass to the west. Matlacha Pass is home to
Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge and the Matlacha Pass Aquatic Preserve.
Flora and fauna
The area supports
waterfowl
Anseriformes is an order of birds also known as waterfowl that comprises about 180 living species of birds in three families: Anhimidae (three species of screamers), Anseranatidae (the magpie goose), and Anatidae, the largest family, which i ...
,
wading birds, migrant
songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds (Passeriformes). Another name that is sometimes seen as the scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin ''oscen'', "songbird". The Passeriformes contains 5,00 ...
s,
gopher tortoises, dolphins and reptiles. Rotary Park is home to wading birds,
raptors,
butterflies
Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...
, foxes and other wildlife. Nature enthusiasts can track exotic birds and native fish from the boardwalk at Lake Kennedy and watch the
West Indian manatee
The West Indian manatee (''Trichechus manatus''), also known as the North American manatee, is a large, aquatic mammal native to warm coastal areas of the Caribbean, from the Eastern United States to northern Brazil. Living alone or in herds, it ...
s at Sirenia Vista Park. Cape Coral is home to the largest population of
burrowing owl
The burrowing owl (''Athene cunicularia''), also called the shoco, is a small, long-legged, primarily terrestrial—though not flightless—species of owl native to the open landscapes of North and South America. They are typically found in gra ...
s in Florida.
Invasive species
Cape Coral is home to three
invasive species
An invasive species is an introduced species that harms its new environment. Invasive species adversely affect habitats and bioregions, causing ecological, environmental, and/or economic damage. The term can also be used for native spec ...
, the
green iguana, the
spiny-tailed iguana, and the
Nile monitor, which was discovered in 2009. The iguanas are found throughout southern Florida and generally do not pose a threat. The Nile monitor is however a large (3–7 feet), fast traveling, fast swimming carnivore with a wide diet, which can include fish, fowl, and small mammals. The city's many waterways work against its capture and provide an easy transportation route around the city.
Climate
The city features a borderline
tropical savanna climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry "winter") and ''As'' (for a dry "summer"). The driest month has less than ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
: Aw), bordering on a
tropical monsoon climate
An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate subtype that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ' ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
: Am). The area averages 355 days of sunshine per year and experiences precipitation on 145 days per year. While the
wet season
The wet season (sometimes called the rainy season or monsoon season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Generally, the season lasts at least one month. The term ''green season'' is also sometimes used a ...
(May to October) is hot and humid with rather erratic tropical downpours,
dry season
The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The t ...
s (November to April) tend to be pleasantly warm and see only sporadic precipitation. The city receives about 56 inches of rain each year, the majority of which falls from June to September. During the summer months, afternoon thunderstorms are heavy yet brief. The city is affected by the annual hurricane season, which begins officially on June 1 and continues through November.
Demographics
As of the
2020 United States census, there were 194,016 people, 69,912 households, and 48,359 families residing in the city.
As of the
2010 United States census, there were 154,309 people, 56,313 households, and 40,405 families residing in the city.
, Cape Coral was the eighth largest city in Florida by population. Nearly 60% of the population was between the ages of 18 and 64; residents under 25 outnumber residents over 65.
Southwest Florida
Southwest Florida is the region along the southwest Gulf coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is known for its beaches, subtropical landscape, and winter resort economy.
Definitions of the region vary, though its boundaries are genera ...
's 18–24 age group is growing at a faster rate than the state of Florida and the United States.
, there were 74,387 households. The median income for a household in the city is $65,282. The per capita income for the city was $34,586. 9.9% of the population are below the poverty line.
As of 2000, 87.18% of residents spoke only
English at home, while 7.61% spoke
Spanish, 1.70% spoke
German, 1.20% spoke
Italian, 0.61% spoke
French, and 0.41% spoke
Tagalog. In total, 12.81% of the total population spoke languages other than English.
Economy
The economy in Cape Coral is based on healthcare services, retail, and real estate/construction. The city's Economic Development Office promotes and incentivizes business relocation to Cape Coral. In 2016 the city's top five employers were the
Lee Memorial Hospital,
Lee County School System,
Publix Supermarkets, City of Cape Coral, and
Walmart
Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States and 23 other ...
.
Acute care is provided by Cape Coral Hospital. Trauma Services are provided by Gulf Coast Medical Center in Fort Myers or Tampa. In December 2012, the Lee County VA Healthcare Center opened on Diplomat Parkway, providing a large range of medical services to veterans. Lee Health plans to expand healthcare services throughout the 2020s. Lee Health is planning to open a new hospital by 2030. Lee Health is expanding the ICU at Cape Coral Hospital from 22 beds to 34 beds. Furthermore, Lee Health is partnering with
Florida State University
Florida State University (FSU or Florida State) is a Public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preeminent university in the s ...
to bring an Internal Medicine Residency Program to Cape Coral Hospital. Lee Health will also open a new outpatient center as a part of the Bimini Basin project near Downtown Cape Coral. Other plans include expansion of the existing outpatient center.
In 2021, Bayfront Health, now Shorepoint, opened a freestanding Emergency Room & Urgent Care in Northeast Cape Coral along Del Prado Blvd. The following year, HCA Florida opened a 24/7 Freestanding Emergency Room along Pine Island Rd.
In 2022, Encompass Health opened a 40-Bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital at the corner of NE Pine Island Rd. and Pondella Rd.
Arts and culture
Mike Greenwell founded an amusement park named Mike Greenwell's Bat-A-Ball & Family Fun Park that opened in February 1992. The facility changed ownership in April 2019, and it was renamed to Gator Mike's Family Fun Park. The facility includes a mini-golf course, Go-Karts, zip lining, bungee jumping, and more.
Both city libraries are part of the
Lee County Library System. Cape Coral Lee County Public Library had 175,000 books in 2002. Northwest Regional Library holds over 70,000 items.
Parks and recreation
Parks and recreation includes:
*SunSplash Water Park.
* A sandy beach and fishing pier on the Caloosahatchee River at the public Yacht Basin and Club.
*Over 30 recreational parks which includes playgrounds, open fields, pavilions, workout equipment, walking paths, and golf courses.
*The largest population of
burrowing owl
The burrowing owl (''Athene cunicularia''), also called the shoco, is a small, long-legged, primarily terrestrial—though not flightless—species of owl native to the open landscapes of North and South America. They are typically found in gra ...
s in Florida.
*Ecological preserves, and an elevated nature trail through
Florida mangroves at Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve.
Government
The city of Cape Coral operates under the
council–manager form of government. City Council members are elected at large from seven districts. The mayor is also elected at large and is the eighth member of the council. The mayor presides over council meetings. On January 13, 2021, Mayor Joe Coviello died, and the City Council unanimously decided to appoint a mayor, rather than have a
special election
A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections.
A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...
.
The City Countil voted 6–1 to appoint council member John Gunter to the position of mayor.
The City of Cape Coral provides
police
The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...
and
fire services within the city.
Education
Cape Coral has continuously expanded public and private school systems with high performance standards. Cape Coral is part of the
Lee County School District, which is operated by the Lee County Board of Education. , the Board of Education operated 8 elementary, 6 middle, and 5 high schools in the Cape. There are four public high schools in Cape Coral:
Cape Coral High School, built in the late 1970s;
Mariner High School, which opened in 1987;
Ida S. Baker High School, founded in 2004 and named after one of the early principals of Cape Coral High School, which opened in 2005; and the newest,
Island Coast High School, which opened its doors for the 2008–2009 school year. Cape Coral has created a municipal
charter school
A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...
system, known as Oasis Charter Schools. The system consists of two elementary schools,
Oasis Middle School, and
Oasis High School. The charter schools use the Core Knowledge and Cambridge Curricula. Since the system is public, there is no tuition. The municipal charter schools are available exclusively to children who live in Cape Coral.
The main campus of
Florida SouthWestern State College is located immediately east of Cape Coral in Fort Myers. The college offers associate and bachelor's degrees, plus technical training in fields such as allied health programs, computer networking & programming, business administration, paralegal, criminal justice and fire science. 2009 enrollment was more than 16,000 students on four campuses. One of Florida's youngest state universities,
Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), opened in 1997 in nearby Fort Myers and now serves more than 12,000 students. FGCU has established a Cape Coral satellite facility, which provides Cape students with a growing offering of core courses. The university offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees, including an executive master's program, a college of business and engineering and biotechnology programs. Other colleges and universities serving the area are
Hodges University,
Southwest Florida College and
Rasmussen College.
Cape Coral Technical College
is a postsecondary educational institution operated by the Lee County public school system. It provides training in medical, computer and food-science fields. Employer-specific training, both on and off-site, is available through Business and Industry Services of Lee County which maintains an office in Cape Coral.
Infrastructure
Canals
The city has over of canals.
Most of the canals are navigable, and some have access to the Gulf of Mexico. Cape Coral's canal system is so extensive that local ecology and tides have been affected. The system provides many residents with waterfront living with access to the Gulf of Mexico via the broad Caloosahatchee River and Matlacha Pass. The Parks and Recreation Department maintains three public boat launching facilities. The Gulf of Mexico provides access to smaller tropical islands, rookeries, and
sports fishing grounds.
Roadways and bridges
Interstate 75 passes within of Cape Coral and connects northward to
Tampa
Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
; and southeastward to
Miami
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
. Cape Coral borders on
U.S. Highway 41. U.S. 41 and I-75 can be accessed from State Route 78 (Pine Island Road). Within the city a network of arterial roadways are established. Cape Coral has approximately of roadways. In general, the north–south routes are evenly spaced apart every one or , and most of them have at least four lanes.
Cape Coral is connected to the south side of the Caloosahatchee River by two bridges. The long
Cape Coral Bridge connects Cape Coral Parkway to College Parkway in
McGregor. The
Midpoint Memorial Bridge connects Veterans Parkway to Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers. Several other bridges span the Caloosahatchee River east of Cape Coral in adjoining
North Fort Myers. In 2026, the Lee County Department of Transportation and the City of Cape Coral plan on constructing a new westbound span for the Cape Coral Bridge. The westbound span, which was built in 1964, does not meet requirements set forth by Lee County. The $185 million project will include a new pedestrian bridge, an expansion to 6 lanes on both spans, removal of the toll booth on the Fort Myers side, and an expansion of the Cape Coral Parkway and Del Prado Boulevard intersection.
Transportation
Public transit services in Cape Coral are provided by
LeeTran. LeeTran operates 18 fixed-route bus services, including six within Cape Coral.
Cape Coral is from
Southwest Florida International Airport
Southwest Florida International Airport is a major county-owned airport in the South Fort Myers area of unincorporated Lee County, Florida, United States. The airport serves the Southwest Florida region, including the Cape Coral-Fort Myers ...
(RSW), which serves nearly 10 million passengers annually. In 2010, eighteen national and two international airlines, as well as the two major cargo companies, served the airport. Cape Coral is also served by
Page Field, a general aviation airport in Fort Myers from Cape Coral.
Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) is located in
Punta Gorda, north of Cape Coral.
Utilities

In 1977, Cape Coral became the first municipality in the United States to use the
reverse osmosis
Reverse osmosis (RO) is a water purification process that uses a partially permeable membrane, semi-permeable membrane to separate water molecules from other substances. RO applies pressure to overcome osmotic pressure that favors even distribu ...
process on a large scale with an initial operating capacity of per day. By 1985, the city had the largest low pressure reverse osmosis plant in the world, capable of producing 15 MGD (56,780 m
3/day).
Sewage is collected and highly treated to produce
reclaimed water
Water reclamation is the process of converting Sewage, municipal wastewater or sewage and Industrial wastewater treatment, industrial wastewater into water that can be reused for a variety of purposes. It is also called wastewater reuse, water re ...
, locally known as "rescued water". Reclaimed water is distributed throughout the city through a dual water pipe system and used for irrigation. Alternatively, reclaimed water can be discharged into the Caloosahatchee River.
The Cape was among the first in Florida to deploy the new 4.9 GHz pre-WiMax wireless channel authorized by the FCC in 2003 for exclusive public safety use.
[Cape Coral: Growth Engine of Southwest Florida, Publication, CCEDO 2009]
Notable people
*
Nate Allen,
NFL safety
*
Pat Burke,
NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
player
*
Stacy Carter, professional wrestler
*
Dustin Diamond
Dustin Neil Diamond (January 7, 1977 – February 1, 2021) was an American actor and stand-up comedian. He is best known for portraying Samuel "Screech" Powers throughout the '' Saved by the Bell'' franchise.
Early life and family
Diamond was ...
, actor
*
Earnest Graham, NFL running back
*
Mike Greenwell,
MLB
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
player
*
Jessica Holmes, TV host and news anchor
*
Hilary Hemingway, author and niece of Ernest Hemingway
*
Jeff Lindsay, author
* Shane McClanahan, MLB
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
pitcher
* John Melendez, American Podcaster, Radio Personality and former Tonight Show announcer.
* Joseph Mercola, physician and alternative medicine proponent
* Seth Petruzelli, mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world.
In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...
fighter
* Niko Price, mixed martial arts fighter
* Tony Rombola, rock and blues guitarist
* Jason Smith, Olympic curler
* Greg Spires, NFL player
* Angela Watson, actress
* Michael Wendler, German singer
* Karey Lee Woolsey, singer-songwriter
* Mike Zunino, MLB catcher
* Tony Bruno, radio personality
References
External links
*
Cape Coral Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control
Cities in Lee County, Florida
Populated places on Charlotte Harbor
Cities in Florida
Former census-designated places in Florida
Planned communities in Florida
1957 establishments in Florida
Populated places established in 1957